Tag:

Ridgefield, NJ

Home Invaders Posed As Police Officers, Restrained Children In Bergen County House: Prosecutor Home Invaders Posed As Police Officers, Restrained Children In Bergen County House: Prosecutor
Home Invaders Posed As Police Officers, Restrained Children In Bergen County House: Prosecutor A New York trio has been arrested in connection with a home invasion earlier this month in Bergen County, authorities said. Diogenes A. Rosario, 49, of New York, NY; Leonel Perez, 38, of New York, NY; and Misael Diaz, 38, of Yonkers, broke into a multi-family home on Crescent Lane in Cliffside Park around 1:50 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. All three were wearing dark-colored clothing and facemasks, and were outwardly displaying imitation police-style badges, portraying themselves as police officers, Musella said.  Once inside, the suspects fo…
Italian-American Bakery To Close Original Bergen County Location Italian-American Bakery To Close Original Bergen County Location
Italian-American Bakery To Close Original Bergen County Location One of Bergen County's most well-known family bakeries will be closing one of its first-ever storefronts. Rispoli's Pastry Shop, established by Gabriele and Josephine Rispoli in 1937, will be closing the doors of its Ridgefield shop at 824 Broad Avenue. The last day in business will be Oct. 14. "All good things must come to an end," Stasia Rispoli, Gabriele and Josephine's great-granddaughter, said in a social media post published Sunday, Sept. 29. Google Maps "As a fourth-generation Rispoli, I promise to carry on with my crews: the legacy, the quality, and our award-winning products at…
Former Fire Chief Indicted In Crash That Killed Teen Girl: Bergen County Prosecutor Former Fire Chief Indicted In Crash That Killed Teen Girl: Bergen County Prosecutor
Former Fire Chief Indicted In Crash That Killed Teen Girl: Bergen County Prosecutor The 61-year-old man and former chief of a local fire department has been indicted in a crash that left a 15-year-old girl dead, authorities in Bergen County said. Timothy Moots, formerly a longtime member of the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department, was operating the Chevrolet Silverado when he struck and killed Serenity Law, 15, of Ridgefield, who was on an electric scooter just before 7:40 p.m. Sunday, April 14, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. On Monday, Sept. 23, Musella said that Moots "made misleading statements to law enforcement in an attempt to minimize his involvement…
ATTEMPTED MURDER: Bergen Man Chokes, Tries To Sexually Assault Pre-Teen: Authorities ATTEMPTED MURDER: Bergen Man Chokes, Tries To Sexually Assault Pre-Teen: Authorities
Attempted Murder: Bergen Man Chokes, Tries To Sexually Assault Pre-Teen: Authorities A 33-year-old Ridgefield man choked a Fairview pre-teen “to the point of unconsciousness” and had removed both his and the incapacitated child's clothes before he was stopped, authorities said. Julio Amaro-Vasquez, who lives on Bergen Boulevard just off Oakdene Avenue, was charged with attempted murder, attempted aggravated sexual assault, aggravated assault, attempted sexual assault by contact and child endangerment. He wasn't the only person arrested in connection with the alleged incident, however. Amaro-Vasquez's girlfriend, Marlin Cervantes Santos, 30, of Fairview, “directed…
Ridgefield Senior Hospitalized In Accidental Bedroom Fire Ridgefield Senior Hospitalized In Accidental Bedroom Fire
Ridgefield Senior Hospitalized In Accidental Bedroom Fire A Ridgefield senior was hospitalized early Saturday following an accidental bedroom fire, responders said. A mattress in her second-floor bedroom on Elm Avenue caught fire after the tenant fell asleep with a lit cigarette around 6:30 a.m. May 11, a family member said. An oxygen tank the woman uses also caught fire, the relative said. EMS tended to the victim before transporting her. Firefighters contained the fire and quickly doused the flames. Mutual aid was provided at the scene and in coverage by firefighters from Cliffside Park, Fairview and Palisades Park. Damien Danis took the pho…
'Vibrant Spirit': Death Of Ridgefield Girl, 15, Leaves 'Profound Void' In 2 Communities 'Vibrant Spirit': Death Of Ridgefield Girl, 15, Leaves 'Profound Void' In 2 Communities
'Vibrant Spirit': Death Of Ridgefield Girl, 15, Leaves 'Profound Void' In 2 Communities UPDATE: The death of a 15-year-old Ridgefield girl who was struck while riding a scooter near her home leaves a "profound void," said the schools chief in Clifton, where her father works. Serenity Law was struck at the intersection of Shaler Boulevard and Edgewater Avenue in Ridgefield shortly after 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 14, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. She was pronounced dead at Hackensack University Medical Center a short time later, the prosecutor said. Although Musella referred to the incident as a "pedestrian death," law enforcement sources confirmed that the teen was…
Girl, 15, Killed In Ridgefield Crash Girl, 15, Killed In Ridgefield Crash
Girl, 15, Killed In Ridgefield Crash UPDATE: The death of a 15-year-old Ridgefield girl who was struck while riding a scooter near her home leaves a "profound void," said the schools chief in Clifton, where her father works. Serenity Law was struck at the intersection of Shaler Boulevard and Edgewater Avenue in Ridgefield shortly after 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 14, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. She was pronounced dead at Hackensack University Medical Center a short time later, the prosecutor said. Although Musella referred to the incident as a "pedestrian death," law enforcement sources confirmed that the tee…
Who Was Xavier Contreras? Homeless Laborer ID’d As Fatal Fire Victim At Former Ridgefield B&B Who Was Xavier Contreras? Homeless Laborer ID’d As Fatal Fire Victim At Former Ridgefield B&B
Who Was Xavier Contreras? Homeless Laborer ID’d As Fatal Fire Victim At Former Ridgefield B&B 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A former bed and breakfast in Ridgefield had been leveled by fire when responders found the remains of a man wrapped around a support beam. “He must’ve been alive and trying to hold on when the floor above him collapsed,” said a firefighter who was at the predawn blaze at the former Toddle Inn on Broad Avenue on Wednesday, March 6. Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella identified the victim on Friday as 42-year-old Xavier Contreras. An Ecuadoran national, the homeless Contreras sometimes joined the groups of day laborers waiting for passing contractors in nearby Palisades Park, ju…
ARSON? Body Found Following Fierce Fire In Ridgefield (UPDATE) ARSON? Body Found Following Fierce Fire In Ridgefield (UPDATE)
Arson? Body Found Following Fierce Fire In Ridgefield (Update) 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A former bed and breakfast in Ridgefield had been leveled by fire when responders found the remains of a man wrapped around a support beam. “He must’ve been alive and trying to hold on when the floor above him collapsed,” said a firefighter who was at the predawn blaze at the former Toddle Inn on Broad Avenue on Wednesday, March 6. Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella identified the victim on Friday as 42-year-old Xavier Contreras. An Ecuadoran national, the homeless Contreras sometimes joined the groups of day laborers waiting for passing contractors in nearby Palisades Park, jus…
Body Found, Another Possible Following Fierce Multi-Family Home Fire In Ridgefield Body Found, Another Possible Following Fierce Multi-Family Home Fire In Ridgefield
Body Found, Another Possible Following Fierce Multi-Family Home Fire In Ridgefield 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A former bed and breakfast in Ridgefield had been leveled by fire when responders found the remains of a man wrapped around a support beam. “He must’ve been alive and trying to hold on when the floor above him collapsed,” said a firefighter who was at the predawn blaze at the former Toddle Inn on Broad Avenue on Wednesday, March 6. Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella identified the victim on Friday as 42-year-old Xavier Contreras. An Ecuadoran national, the homeless Contreras sometimes joined the groups of day laborers waiting for passing contractors in nearby Palisades Park, jus…
UPDATE: Arson Investigators Probe Multi-Truck Fire In Ridgefield UPDATE: Arson Investigators Probe Multi-Truck Fire In Ridgefield
Update: Arson Investigators Probe Multi-Truck Fire In Ridgefield 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: Investigators were probing the cause of a multi-truck fire in Ridgefield that sent up a column of black smoke visible for miles. No injuries were reported in the three-alarm blaze, which ignited behind the Hanjin warehouse on Railroad Avenue near Pleasantview Avenue shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday, March 3. At least four box trucks and rigs were destroyed or severely damaged. Mutual aid responders either at the scene or in coverage included firefighters from Cliffside Park, Fairview, Leonia, Palisades Park and Ridgefield Park. The County Wide Emergency Response Team also responded. …
Live From Hackensack It's Saturday Night: Sketch Comedy Teams Battle For 'Bragging Rights' Live From Hackensack It's Saturday Night: Sketch Comedy Teams Battle For 'Bragging Rights'
Live From Hackensack It's Saturday Night: Sketch Comedy Teams Battle For 'Bragging Rights' Two sketch comedy troupes are set to do battle in Hackensack and only one can be declared the winner. "Bragging Rights Sketch Comedy" is performing at the Hackensack Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Feb. 3 from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The brainchild of Matt Algozzini, a Maywood resident, the show will feature two teams, the red team and blue team, performing comedy skits, with the audience picking the winner. Algozzini has been running the show for eight years, running monthly shows in New York and touring nationally. The performers also rep the Garden State. Aside from Algozzini, Juan Carl…
Firefighters Battle Frigid Temps To Douse Ridgefield Blaze Firefighters Battle Frigid Temps To Douse Ridgefield Blaze
Firefighters Battle Frigid Temps To Douse Ridgefield Blaze Ridgefield firefighters conquered frigid temperatures to quickly snuff a weekend blaze. The two-alarm electrical fire ignited in an attic vent at the single-family Shaler Boulevard home at Lancaster Road shortly before 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, responders said. "They made a great stop," a mutual aid provider said. "It could have been a lot worse, but because of their quick response they were able to knock it down quick." Mutual aid responders included firefighters from Cliffside Park, Fairview, Leonia and Palisades Park, as well as borough police and EMS. No injuries were reported. Jo…
Federal Agent Interrupts Carjacking, Hit By Fleeing Thugs' Vehicle At 'The Vince' Federal Agent Interrupts Carjacking, Hit By Fleeing Thugs' Vehicle At 'The Vince'
Federal Agent Interrupts Carjacking, Hit By Fleeing Thugs' Vehicle At 'The Vince' EXCLUSIVE: A U.S. Homeland Security officer was struck by a fleeing vehicle after interrupting an attempted carjacking Thursday at the Vince Lombardi Service Area off the New Jersey Turnpike, law enforcement sources told Daily Voice. Four black men in a black Porsche Macan were trying to take an elderly Jewish man's vehicle in the parking lot of the rest stop in Ridgefield around 11:30 a.m. Jan. 11, they said. Members of a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) task force who were working a separate investigation in the area intervened. The officer who was struck wasn't seriously injured, …
Unofficial Results Of Bergen County Mayoral Elections (DEVELOPING) Unofficial Results Of Bergen County Mayoral Elections (DEVELOPING)
Unofficial Results Of Bergen County Mayoral Elections (Developing) The results of Bergen County's 38 mayoral races are rolling in. Votes were being counted in real time on the Bergen County elections website.  Here is the vote count for the mayoral races as of 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, according to the county's election result website. ** NOTE: This is a developing story. Totals are not final ** Bergenfield:  Arvin Amatorio (D)* — 100% of votes Bogota (replacing Claudia Lopez): Mary Ellen Murphy (D) — 54% Daniele Fede (R) — 46% Carlstadt: Lorraine Joewono (D) — 22% Robert J. Zimmerman (R)* — 77% Cliffside Park: Thomas Calabrese (D)* —…
Ridgefield Man Shot In Hawthorne, Local Resident Charged Ridgefield Man Shot In Hawthorne, Local Resident Charged
Ridgefield Man Shot In Hawthorne, Local Resident Charged A 32-year-old Ridgefield man was shot in Hawthorne over the weekend, said authorities who made an arrest. The victim was treated at the scene and didn’t require further medical treatment following the 10:37 p.m. shooting on Wagner Place near Midland Avenue on Saturday, Sept. 16, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Hawthorne Police Chief James W. Knepper said. Angel Alberto, 34, of Hawthorne, surrendered to Hawthorne police on Sunday, they said. Alberto, formerly of Paterson, remained held Monday in the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing…
Sedan Slams Into Route 46 Gas Pump, Bursts Into Flames Sedan Slams Into Route 46 Gas Pump, Bursts Into Flames
Sedan Slams Into Route 46 Gas Pump, Bursts Into Flames A driver escaped serious injury after his sedan plowed into a pump and burst into flames at a Route 46 gas station. The 32-year-old driver from Englewood lost control of the two-door Infiniti, which crashed at the QuickCheck on the westbound highway -- near the entrances to Route 80 and the New Jersey Turnpike -- at 7:40 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, Ridgefield Fire Chief David Brierty said. The attendant shut down the pump and called 911, the chief said. Ridgefield firefighters quickly doused the flames. The driver was taken to Englewood Hospital and Medical Center with relatively minor injuri…
27 NJ Boston Market Stores Issued Stop-Work Orders By Labor Department 27 NJ Boston Market Stores Issued Stop-Work Orders By Labor Department
27 NJ Boston Market Stores Issued Stop-Work Orders By Labor Department Boston Market stores across New Jersey owe its workers thousands of dollars in back wages, and the state's labor department is taking action. The NJDOL issued 27 stop-work orders to Boston Market locations throughout the state on Monday, Aug. 14 saying the rotisserie chicken franchise owes more than $600,000 in back wages to 314 employees. The investigation began after the NJDOL received a complaint from an employee at a restaurant in Hamilton last November. Since then, almost three dozen people have come forward, naming several other locations. Citations were issued for unpaid/late pa…
Accused Englewood Shopping Center Mugger Had Just Been Busted For Non-Support, Records Show Accused Englewood Shopping Center Mugger Had Just Been Busted For Non-Support, Records Show
Accused Englewood Shopping Center Mugger Had Just Been Busted For Non-Support, Records Show Exactly 10 days after being arrested and then released from jail for failing to pay child support, records show, an Englewood man was charged with mugging a resident at a city shopping center. Ogaro B. Coombs, 35, fled Palisades Court with the 45-year-old victim's cellphone and hat after hitting him several times in the face around 10:45 p.m. Sunday, July 23, Detective Lt. Fred Pulice said. Responding officers quickly nabbed Coombs, who Pulice said was carrying the proceeds. The victim wasn't seriously injured, the lieutenant said. It was more than 11 years ago that Coombs led police on a…
PalPark Motorcyclist, 33, Killed In NJ Turnpike Crash PalPark Motorcyclist, 33, Killed In NJ Turnpike Crash
PalPark Motorcyclist, 33, Killed In NJ Turnpike Crash A motorcyclist from Palisades Park was killed in a weekend crash on the New Jersey Turnpike in Ridgefield, State Police confirmed. Michael Agudelo, 33, was headed south on the turnpike's eastern spur near the Vince Lombardi Service Area when his Yamaha rear-ended a Buick sedan shortly before 2:30 a.m. Saturday, July 22, NJSP Sgt. Philip Curry said. Augdelo was ejected and sustained fatal injuries, the sergeant said on Sunday. The crash remains under investigation, Curry said.
Integral Part Of Sparta's Business Network Hratch Kechishian Dies Integral Part Of Sparta's Business Network Hratch Kechishian Dies
Integral Part Of Sparta's Business Network Hratch Kechishian Dies Sparta is mourning the loss of a local business owner after what loved ones call a “difficult medical battle.” Hratch Kechishian died Saturday, July 15, his obituary says. He was 63. An integral part of Sparta’s business network, Hratch was the owner of The Leather Zone in Sparta — a business “he put his whole heart and resources into,” reads a GoFundMe launched by Melissa Prestipino for his family’s support. “Hratch was a generous man who would donate the shirt off of his back,” Prestipino writes. “He gave the community and healthcare workers many of his own supplies during the pandemic…
ICE Seizes DWI Guatemalan Driver From Dumont Charged With Hitting Ridgefield Pedestrians ICE Seizes DWI Guatemalan Driver From Dumont Charged With Hitting Ridgefield Pedestrians
ICE Seizes DWI Guatemalan Driver From Dumont Charged With Hitting Ridgefield Pedestrians A Guatemalan national living in Dumont who authorities said was drunk when he hit two pedestrians with his sedan at a busy Ridgefield intersection  – seriously injuring one of them – was seized by ICE, records show. Responding officers seized Esvin Duarte-Simon, 33, at the scene of the crash at Bergen Boulevard and Edgewater Avenue shortly before 11 a.m. last Friday, July 14, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Duarte-Simon, who lives on East Madison Avenue and works as a laborer, had struck the two pedestrians with his 2013 Subaru Impreza, the prosecutor said. One was ta…
UPDATE: College Student From Garfield Dead, GF Hospitalized In Horrific Ridgefield Crash UPDATE: College Student From Garfield Dead, GF Hospitalized In Horrific Ridgefield Crash
Update: College Student From Garfield Dead, GF Hospitalized In Horrific Ridgefield Crash UPDATE: A 19-year-old college student from Garfield was killed and his girlfriend seriously injured when his Mustang slammed into the front of a new restaurant in Ridgefield early Saturday. The two were headed north on Broad Avenue when Yusuf Bakmaz missed the split to Grand Avenue on the left around midnight June 24, Ridgefield Police Chief TJ Gallagher said. The teen's white 2002 Ford Mustang barreled over the island, clipped another vehicle and swerved directly into Karden, which opened in April at the site of the old Chan's Dragon Inn. Bakmaz -- a sophomore who majored in computer sc…
GOTCHA! Fleeing Cliffside Business Burglar Nabbed By Fort Lee PD, Claims Sovereignty GOTCHA! Fleeing Cliffside Business Burglar Nabbed By Fort Lee PD, Claims Sovereignty
Gotcha! Fleeing Cliffside Business Burglar Nabbed By Fort Lee PD, Claims Sovereignty A burglar who hit several downtown Cliffside Park businesses overnight Wednesday was captured a half-dozen blocks away by Fort Lee police who were part of a dragnet. Officers from no fewer than seven other law enforcement agencies converged on Cliffside's business district after the intruder entered an unlocked sidewalk cellar door on Lawton Avenue and began going from business to business around 1:30 a.m. June 21, Deputy Police Chief Vincent Capano said. The owner of Dipped Donuts on Anderson Avenue got a burglar alert on his phone, saw what was happening on a surveillance camera and call…
Response To Threats Call Turns Up Loaded, Stolen Gun Under Suspect's Pillow: Ridgefield PD Response To Threats Call Turns Up Loaded, Stolen Gun Under Suspect's Pillow: Ridgefield PD
Response To Threats Call Turns Up Loaded, Stolen Gun Under Suspect's Pillow: Ridgefield PD A Ridgefield man accused of threatening someone with a loaded handgun had the weapon stashed under his pillow when police arrived, authorities said. Jermelle McNeill, 45, was arrested after Ridgefield Police Officer Theo Abdallah found the Glock 19 -- which had been reported stolen -- before dawn on Sunday, May 21, Lt. Bruno Carbone said. Abdallah had responded to the Bernard Place home along with Sgt. Leo Yim and Officers Ali Huda and Danilo Barquin on a call of a dispute involving an armed threat around 4:30 a.m., the lieutenant said. McNeil remained held in the Bergen County Jail on Mo…
SWAT Team Storms PalPark Apartment, Seizes Tenant Following Threats To Woman SWAT Team Storms PalPark Apartment, Seizes Tenant Following Threats To Woman
SWAT Team Storms PalPark Apartment, Seizes Tenant Following Threats To Woman A nearly three-hour standoff ended when a SWAT team burst into a Palisades Park garden apartment and seized a man who authorities said harassed and threatened a woman. Officers brought a temporary restraining order to the Palisades Gardens apartment of Jonathan C. Hernandez, 32, off Bergen Boulevard shortly before 8 p.m. Friday, May 19. Based on the victim's complaint, they suspected that Hernandez might have been armed, responders said. Hernandez apparently refused to open the door and stopped communicating after a very brief text exchange, they said. After conferring with the Bergen Cou…
QuickChek Continues North Jersey Expansion With Four New Stores QuickChek Continues North Jersey Expansion With Four New Stores
QuickChek Continues North Jersey Expansion With Four New Stores There are more QuickCheks in the Garden State. QuickChek, a convenience store known for its subs, recently opened a location in Totowa at 809 Riverview Drive at Route 46 West. The 5,670-square foot store opened its doors on Tuesday, May 9. The Totowa location is the fourth QuickChek to open in the last six weeks, including stores in Ridgefield and Union Township. Another location is set to open in Scotch Plains. The new stores create a total of 175 to 225 new local jobs, the company said.
Korean Restaurant Cooks Up Storm In North Jersey Korean Restaurant Cooks Up Storm In North Jersey
Korean Restaurant Cooks Up Storm In North Jersey A restaurant in Bergen County is offering a new twist on Korean cuisine. Karden opened two months ago in Ridgefield, serving a modern take on a typical Korean restaurant. The restaurant is owned by the Chung family, who live in the borough.  "We use a lot of spices, a lot of vegetables and grilled meat," Carter Chung said.  Do you know Yukgaejang? Yukgaejang is a spicy Korean beef soup with bunch of vegetables. It is deeply flavorful and one... Posted by karden_nj on Thursday, March 23, 2023 Karden uses a lot of the family's recipes, and Chung's mother has run a catering company in Fo…
Ex-Con Kidnapper Gets 43 Years, No Parole, For Rape, Arson, Assault Rampage Through NJ, NY, PA Ex-Con Kidnapper Gets 43 Years, No Parole, For Rape, Arson, Assault Rampage Through NJ, NY, PA
Ex-Con Kidnapper Gets 43 Years, No Parole, For Rape, Arson, Assault Rampage Through NJ, NY, PA UPDATE: An ex-con who kidnapped and raped his ex-girlfriend in Pennsylvania, then torched a used car dealership in Paterson and rammed a stolen SUV into police cars at both ends of the George Washington Bridge was sentenced to 43 years in federal prison. Luis Figueroa, 42, first took a plea deal from the government that called for him to serve 26 years in a federal penitentiary. Then he abruptly withdrew his plea, took his chances with a trial – and lost. Federal jurors in Newark convicted Figueroa in May 2022 of kidnapping, criminal sexual abuse, illegal gun possession and assaulting…
Fight Sends Ridgefield High School Student To Hospital Fight Sends Ridgefield High School Student To Hospital
Fight Sends Ridgefield High School Student To Hospital A 17-year-old Ridgefield High School student was hospitalized after falling and hitting the back of his head during a fistfight with a fellow student, authorities said. The other boy, 16, didn't sustain any injuries in the cafeteria confrontation, which occurred around 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, March 29, Ridgefield Police Lt. Bruno Carbone said. The older student was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center with a large cut on the back of his head that required stitches, the lieutenant said. Delinquency complaints were pending the results of an investigation, he said. Both ALS and BLS un…
Offender Released After Multi-Town Pursuit Terrorizes Parents Twice In 3 Hours: Fairview PD Offender Released After Multi-Town Pursuit Terrorizes Parents Twice In 3 Hours: Fairview PD
Offender Released After Multi-Town Pursuit Terrorizes Parents Twice In 3 Hours: Fairview PD Imagine a fleeing driver crashing his mother's car into police cruisers three times during a multi-agency pursuit -- sending an officer to the hospital -- then getting released by a judge a short time later. Imagine the same man allegedly going berserk and trashing his parents' apartment, forcing them to lock themselves in the bathroom. Imagine he's taken into custody only to be released again. Meet Joshua Hayes, 30, of Fairview. Borough officers arrested Hayes for the early-morning incident at his folks' home on Monday, March 6. They were back there less than a half-hour after Hayes had …