Fair 65°
Police & Fire
Motorcyclist, 37, Killed In Route 17 Crash (UPDATE) Motorcyclist, 37, Killed In Route 17 Crash (UPDATE)
Motorcyclist, 37, Killed In Route 17 Crash (Update) A 37-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a crash on Route 17 in Bergen County on Tuesday, Sept. 10, police said. Police responding to multiple 911 calls of a motorcyclist down on the southbound side of the highway near the Essex Street ramp in Maywood found the operator unresponsive and not breathing just before 10:30 a.m., Maywood Police Detective Sgt. William Phayre said. The motorcyclist had collided with another vehicle, causing it to veer off the roadway into a grass median, Phayre said citing findings of the investigation. The driver of the second vehicle remained on scene. …

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
8 Hospitalized In Series Of Route 3 Crashes Involving Emergency Vehicles (UPDATE) 8 Hospitalized In Series Of Route 3 Crashes Involving Emergency Vehicles (UPDATE)
8 Hospitalized In Series Of Route 3 Crashes Involving Emergency Vehicles (Update) Eight people were hospitalized in a series of Route 3 crashes — one of which involved emergency response vehicles — early Tuesday, Sept. 10 in East Rutherford, police said. Police were called to the westbound side of the roadway just after 6 a.m. for a crash involving a white 2015 Land Rover that had lost control and struck a light pole and a guard rail, Police Capt. Jeff Yannacone said. The male driver and female passenger were transported to Hackensack University Medical Center with leg injuries, he said. Meanwhile, while the crash was being investigated, a 2005 black Dodge Dakota st…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Smoke Diminshes As Crews Begin Containing Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood (UPDATE) Smoke Diminshes As Crews Begin Containing Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood (UPDATE)
Smoke Diminshes As Crews Begin Containing Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood (Update) Smoke has diminished as a massive wildfire burned for a second day in Ocean County, officials said. The fire was first spotted at the Cedar Bridge fire tower at 4:44 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 9, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said in an update. The roughly 189-acre wildfire was burning near Fishers Pit, a sand and gravel pit in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township. Conditions have improved after "erratic fire behavior" caused problems for the first firefighters at the scene. "Fire crews continue to secure and reinforce containment lines by mopping up hot …

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Crews Battle 150-Acre Wildfire Across Ocean County (DEVELOPING) Crews Battle 150-Acre Wildfire Across Ocean County (DEVELOPING)
Crews Battle 150-Acre Wildfire Across Ocean County (Developing) Firefighters were battling a massive wildfire in Ocean County that broke out late Monday, Sept. 9, officials said. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service said the fire was burning near Fishers Pit, a sand and gravel pit in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township. The NJFFS first posted on Twitter about the wildfire at 7:30 p.m. Monday. As of Tuesday morning, the fire had been 20 percent contained to 150 acres, after spreading near Northern Boulevard in the Barnegat Pines neighborhood of Berkeley. "When firefighters arrived on scene initial attack efforts were unsuccessful due to erratic…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Arrangements Set, Obituary Posted For Fairfield Officer James 'Jimmy' Ciampi Arrangements Set, Obituary Posted For Fairfield Officer James 'Jimmy' Ciampi
Arrangements Set, Obituary Posted For Fairfield Officer James 'Jimmy' Ciampi Arrangements have been finalized for Fairfield Police Officer James "Jimmy" Ciampi, who died Monday, Sept. 9, following a battle with cancer. He would have turned 32 in October. According to his obituary on the Ippolito-Stellato Funeral Home website, visitation will be held Thursday, Sept. 12 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the funeral home in Fairfield. The funeral will be at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 13 at the funeral home, with a Funeral Mass set for 10 a.m., at the St. Thomas More R.C. Church. Ciampi graduated from West Essex High School before earning his bachelor's from Rutgers University…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Lyndhurst Man, Lodi Man Charged With Distribution, 150 Grams Of Cocaine Seized Lyndhurst Man, Lodi Man Charged With Distribution, 150 Grams Of Cocaine Seized
Lyndhurst Man, Lodi Man Charged With Distribution, 150 Grams Of Cocaine Seized Three men were recently arrested and charged after a narcotics investigation in Secaucus resulted in the recovery of over 150 grams of cocaine and approximately 20 grams of MDMA, authorities said. Nelson Villegas-Rios, a 33-year-old Lyndhurst resident and Sebastian Ospina Osorio, a 34-year-old New York resident were arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 7 and charged with distributing cocaine and ecstasy, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. They were arrested on Plaza Drive in Secaucus. Larry Marin, a 27-year-old Lodi resident was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Tuesday,…

SHARE

by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Two Pedestrians Struck, Seriously Injured In Palisades Park Two Pedestrians Struck, Seriously Injured In Palisades Park
Two Pedestrians Struck, Seriously Injured In Palisades Park Two pedestrians were hospitalized with serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle in Palisades Park on Sunday, Sept. 8, authorities said. The two were crossing the street at West Edsall Boulevard and Highland Avenue when they were hit by a car just before 8 p.m., local police said. Both were rushed to the hospital and the county prosecutor's office is investigating, police said.

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Sidewalk Save: Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Officers Saving Choking Baby Sidewalk Save: Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Officers Saving Choking Baby
Sidewalk Save: Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Officers Saving Choking Baby Newly-released body-worn camera footage shows two New Jersey police officers saving a choking baby. Hightstown Officers Daniel Abbatemarco and Kenneth Larsen responded to a call of a choking baby girl on March 31. Upon arrival, they were met by a man holding the girl. Larsen arrived on scene and quickly performed the Infant Heimlich Maneuver on the girl, who was breathing again in a matter of seconds. Meanwhile, Abbatemarco and Larsen comforted the man holding her and a woman crying at the scene. "She's breathing, she's clear," the officers say. "Let's let out a cry sweetheart!" …

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
DUI Driver Wrecks Route 78 Memorial For Trooper Killed By Car, Police Say DUI Driver Wrecks Route 78 Memorial For Trooper Killed By Car, Police Say
DUI Driver Wrecks Route 78 Memorial For Trooper Killed By Car, Police Say A 38-year-old man is facing charges after police say he wrecked a roadside memorial for a fallen trooper along Route 78 last month while driving under the influence. David Neufield, of Berkeley Heights, was found inside of the vehicle that had struck the memorial for NJSP Trooper Thomas Hanratty at milepost 46.8 in Summit around 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, State Police said. Arriving troopers saw Summit firefighters conducting first-aid on Neufield, who was taken to a nearby hospital before he was arrested and charged with various drug offenses, including DUI. Police also said drugs were foun…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Former West New York Police Officer Johnny Lara Dies, 53 Former West New York Police Officer Johnny Lara Dies, 53
Former West New York Police Officer Johnny Lara Dies, 53 Johnny A. Lara, a former West New York resident and police officer, died on Wednesday, Sept. 4. He was 53 years old. Lara was born in Colombia and grew up in West New York, having served as a police officer before retiring and moving to Houston TX, according to his obituary on the Barquin Funeral Home website. He is survived by his wife, Cindy Valderramos Lara; their children Brandon, Bella and Jeremy Lara; his mother Emma J. Lara; and his siblings, Rosario Crabtree, Jimmy and Sammy Lara. Lara was preceded in death by his father, Marcelino and his brother Henry Lara. Servic…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Motorcyclist Killed, Dirt Biker Seriously Injured In Garden State Parkway Crash (UPDATE) Motorcyclist Killed, Dirt Biker Seriously Injured In Garden State Parkway Crash (UPDATE)
Motorcyclist Killed, Dirt Biker Seriously Injured In Garden State Parkway Crash (Update) A 26-year-old motorcyclist was killed and a 49-year-old dirt bike operator was seriously injured in a crash Sunday, Sept. 8 on the Garden State Parkway in Toms River, authorities said. Antonio Caprara, 26, of Beachwood, was heading south on the right shoulder while Lenny Ritorto, of Toms River, was heading south on the acceleration lane from the Exit 81 entrance ramp when the two collided near milepost 81.7 around 1 p.m., New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said. Both vehicles overturned and both Caprara and Ritorto were thrown from their bikes, Lebron said. Caprara died while&…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Car Topples Utility Pole Outside Popular Bergen County Spanish Restaurant Car Topples Utility Pole Outside Popular Bergen County Spanish Restaurant
Car Topples Utility Pole Outside Popular Bergen County Spanish Restaurant A Bergen County roadway was closed Sunday morning, Sept. 8 due to a car that slammed into a utility pole. Photos shared by Carlstadt police show a sedan into a pole outside of Segovia on Washington Avenue. As of 11:45 a.m., the road was closed in both directions. Segovia is a popular steakhouse chain with several locations in Bergen County. The Segovia spot specializes in tapas.

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine