Fair 73°
Police & Fire
10-Year Prison Minimum Awaits NJ Catholic School Teacher Who Took Upskirts Of Girls In Class 10-Year Prison Minimum Awaits NJ Catholic School Teacher Who Took Upskirts Of Girls In Class
10-Year Prison Minimum Awaits NJ Catholic School Teacher Who Took Upskirts Of Girls In Class UPDATE: A North Jersey school teacher who took upskirt photos and videos of female students faces at least 10 years in state prison when he’s sentenced next month. Michael F. Wagner, 41, of Hopatcong took a deal from prosecutors rather than risk the potential outcome of a trial, admitting that he recorded female 8th graders of his at Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta during class and collected child porn. In order to secure the agreement – and whatever leniency may come at his July 26 sentencing in Newton -- Wagner had to plead guilty earlier this month to first-degree child en…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Dumont Mom Jailed For Abusing Kid: Prosecutor Dumont Mom Jailed For Abusing Kid: Prosecutor
Dumont Mom Jailed For Abusing Kid: Prosecutor A 46-year-old Dumont woman was jailed for physically abusing one of her children, authorities said. Stacey A. Wilmarth was arrested by Dumont police on Monday, June 3, in connection with allegations from a week earlier, records show. Detectives from Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella’s Special Victims Unit subsequently charged Wilmarth with aggravated assault and child endangerment. She remained held Tuesday in the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack. ****** ALSO SEE: A 48-year-old Fort Lee mom was charged with aggravated ma…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
HEROES: Lyndhurst Officers Reel In Teen Thief Hanging Off Motel Balcony HEROES: Lyndhurst Officers Reel In Teen Thief Hanging Off Motel Balcony
Heroes: Lyndhurst Officers Reel In Teen Thief Hanging Off Motel Balcony A Lyndhurst police officer held on tight as a combative 17-year-old suspect dangled from the second-floor balcony of a local motel. The Clifton teen had ditched a stolen bicycle and run up the exterior stairs of the Winslow Motor Hotel with Officer Michael D’Alessandro on his tail, Detective Lt. Vincent Auteri said. The bicycle belonged to a young boy who’d asked the officer for help getting it back after it had just been taken, the lieutenant said. Although police initially lost sight of the thief, a tracking device brought them to the Rutherford Avenue motel just off eastbound Route 3, h…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
SEE ANYTHING? Pedestrian, 28, Critically Injured By Hit-And-Run Driver In Guttenberg SEE ANYTHING? Pedestrian, 28, Critically Injured By Hit-And-Run Driver In Guttenberg
SEE Anything? Pedestrian, 28, Critically Injured By Hit-And-Run Driver In Guttenberg It's one of the busiest intersections in the area, but no one apparently saw a 28-year-old pedestrian struck and critically injured over the weekend by a hit-and-run driver in Guttenberg. Now authorities are seeking help from the public. The victim remained stable at Jersey City Medical Center with life-threatening injuries following the crash at the corner of Park Avenue and 70th Street shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday, June 1, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said on Monday. The prosecutor didn't share any type of description or direction of travel of the vehicle. She did ask tha…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Mahwah Motorcyclist Rendered Amputee, Wrong-Way DWI Driver Charged With Assault By Auto UPDATE: Mahwah Motorcyclist Rendered Amputee, Wrong-Way DWI Driver Charged With Assault By Auto
Update: Mahwah Motorcyclist Rendered Amputee, Wrong-Way DWI Driver Charged With Assault By Auto A 67-year-old Florida man was intoxicated when his SUV crossed the double yellow line on a Mahwah road and hit a motorcyclist last weekend, costing the victim his foot and ankle, authorities said. Terence J. Cotter of Delray Beach was headed south on East Crescent Lane when his 2022 Volkswagen Taos crossed into the northbound lane and collided head-on with the motorcycle shortly after 5:30 p.m. Sunday, June 2, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. The rider, 58-year-old Paul Granados of Mahwah, was airlifted to Hackensack University Medical Center after being struck between Apple Ri…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Repeat Offender Punches Disabled Man In Face For 75-Cent Bus Fare: Ridgefield Park PD Repeat Offender Punches Disabled Man In Face For 75-Cent Bus Fare: Ridgefield Park PD
Repeat Offender Punches Disabled Man In Face For 75-Cent Bus Fare: Ridgefield Park PD A repeat offender heartlessly punched a disabled man on a Ridgefield Park street and took the 75 cents he'd been carrying for bus fare, authorities said. Joshua Bendewald, 30, approached the victim near the corner of Main Street and Grand Avenue and “asked him how much money he had” around 11 a.m. Saturday, June 1, Ridgefield Park Police Lt. Justin Tress said. The 64-year-old victim said he had only the 75-cent bus fare he held in his hand, which the robber took, the lieutenant said. When the victim said he didn’t have any more, Tress said, Bendewald punched him in the face, knocking the m…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Couple Charged In Cold-Blooded Killing Of Twahee Howard, 44 UPDATE: Couple Charged In Cold-Blooded Killing Of Twahee Howard, 44
Update: Couple Charged In Cold-Blooded Killing Of Twahee Howard, 44 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A Paterson couple have been charged in connection with what authorities said was the premeditated cold-blooded shooting death of a 44-year-old city man earlier this month. Mathew X. Amaro, 27, shot Twahee Howard in the area of Chadwick and Weiss streets shortly before 9 p.m. June 2, authorities said. Howard, 44, was pronounced dead at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center of multiple gunshot wounds a short time later. Amaro is charged with murder, conspiracy, and drug and weapons offenses, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Department Officer-In-Charge…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
NJ Soccer Player, Licensed Gun Owner Jailed After Threatening Rival With Weapon After Game: PD NJ Soccer Player, Licensed Gun Owner Jailed After Threatening Rival With Weapon After Game: PD
NJ Soccer Player, Licensed Gun Owner Jailed After Threatening Rival With Weapon After Game: PD A Jersey City man has been arrested after pointing a handgun at a rival soccer player after both were ejected from a game in Secaucus over the weekend, police said. Reda Benyamin, 34, and the player on an opposing team began arguing during the game at Shetik Field on County Avenue on May 2, Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller said. Both players were ejected and went to their cars to leave after the game. While stopped at a light on Jefferson and County Avenue, Benyamin pulled up next to the player's car and threatened him with a black handgun, police said. Both then left the area. Benyamin…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Accused Public Masturbator From Englewood Jailed Again For Two Other Incidents UPDATE: Accused Public Masturbator From Englewood Jailed Again For Two Other Incidents
Update: Accused Public Masturbator From Englewood Jailed Again For Two Other Incidents A 34-year-old Englewood man who'd been arrested and released on charges of masturbating in front of a pre-teen was jailed again after authorities said they discovered at least two other alleged incidents. Dawid S. Iwaszek originally was arrested on May 25 for exposing himself and masturbating in front of a pre-teen in Englewood, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. The prosecutor said at the time that detectives from his Special Victims Unit were continuing to investigate at least two previous incidents involving children in Englewood and Teaneck. They charg…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Reign Of Terror: NJ Ex-Con Gets 16 Years For Series Of Armed Robberies, Carjackings Reign Of Terror: NJ Ex-Con Gets 16 Years For Series Of Armed Robberies, Carjackings
Reign Of Terror: NJ Ex-Con Gets 16 Years For Series Of Armed Robberies, Carjackings 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A 25-year-old ex-con from Trenton who’s already served 2½ years in state prison is headed to federal prison for 16 more for a string of gunpoint carjackings and robberies. Joshua M. Perez was one of three armed robbers who commited a Oct. 10 carjacking, another on Dec. 5 and the robbery later than second night of a local gas station, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Surveillance cameras captured video of Perez and two other robbers emerging from a sedan, pointing handguns at occupants of another vehicle, Sellinger said. They then fled with money and cellphones in the victims…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
'King James': NJ Lawyer Gets 4½ Years, No Early Release For $2 Million Theft From Family, More 'King James': NJ Lawyer Gets 4½ Years, No Early Release For $2 Million Theft From Family, More
'King James': NJ Lawyer Gets 4½ Years, No Early Release For $2 Million Theft From Family, More 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A once-prominent New Jersey lawyer must spend the next 4½ years in federal prison for swindling a family he represented out of $2 million -- and then, while on pre-trial release, impersonating another attorney in applying for a loan. The family had retained James R. Lisa, 68, of Jersey City, to gather millions that had been moved into offshore bank accounts by relatives decades ago and to resolve any tax issues that arose as a result, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Soon after being retained, Lisa moved more than $6 million back into the United States but told the famil…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Overnight Fire Destroys Home Of Couple Raising Special Needs Child Overnight Fire Destroys Home Of Couple Raising Special Needs Child
Overnight Fire Destroys Home Of Couple Raising Special Needs Child Their humble yet cozy Oakland home meant the world to Omar McCalla and Natalie Gregory as they raised their daughter, Amaria, who was born with multiple disabilities. "This was their first true home as a family outside of the extensive time spent at hospitals," friend Ana Sampson said. "(It) represented their bright future." A ferocious overnight fire on Saturday stole that dream. Flames were already shooting through the roof when firefighters arrived shortly before 2:30 a.m June 1. They had the blaze knocked down after about an hour and a half. Fire officials were trying to determine the…

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by Jerry DeMarco