Fog/Mist 42°
News
Firefighters Stung By Bees While Battling Illegal West Milford Apartment Blaze Firefighters Stung By Bees While Battling Illegal West Milford Apartment Blaze
Firefighters Stung By Bees While Battling Illegal West Milford Apartment Blaze Three firefighters were treated for bee stings in an overnight fire that destroyed what turned out to be an illegal apartment found in a shed outside a West Milford home, authorities said. A resident also was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation after what began as a brush fire on Dudley Street off Broadway shortly after midnight Monday, Oct. 24. The first arriving units also found a shed on fire and flames approaching a house on the property. They searched the shed -- which had beds and a kitchen -- and didn't find any victims, according to the West Milford Fire Marshal's Office. Th…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
Tri-State Tour Company Founder Gets 7 Years, No Parole, In Child Porn Case Tri-State Tour Company Founder Gets 7 Years, No Parole, In Child Porn Case
Tri-State Tour Company Founder Gets 7 Years, No Parole, In Child Porn Case A tri-state nature tour company founder from North Jersey was sentenced to a plea-bargained seven years in federal prison for collecting hundreds of child porn images. Vaughn Tiedeman -- whose Living Adventure Tours operates in the Garden State, New York and Pennsylvania -- must serve out the entire term because there's no parole in the federal prison system. He'll also remain under supervised release for 10 years under the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark on Thursday, Sept. 21. Special agents of the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Inv…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
'Long Road Ahead': Fundraiser Launched For Passaic County Family Who Lost Home In Fire 'Long Road Ahead': Fundraiser Launched For Passaic County Family Who Lost Home In Fire
'Long Road Ahead': Fundraiser Launched For Passaic County Family Who Lost Home In Fire April Santangelo's successful battle with cancer was tough enough for her and her family. Then their West Milford home burned down over the Labor Day weekend. Santangelo and her husband, John, raised three children in the house on Pinecliff Lake over the past 19 years -- Jake, Ashley, and Tyler. Although the fire was devastating, the resilient mom said, they're all "very, very grateful" that they and their pets are all OK. Friends weren't surprised by April's reaction. The Santangelos are "some of the kindest and most positive people I know," wrote longtime friend Jennifer Dee, citing …

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
Fire Destroys West Milford Family's Home Fire Destroys West Milford Family's Home
Fire Destroys West Milford Family's Home A West Milford family expressed gratitude to firefighters who doused a Labor Day weekend blaze that blew through their home. A resident had to be treated for smoke inhalation following the fire, which ignited on the porch of the Echo Lane home Saturday afternoon, Sept. 3, responders said. "We can’t thank the firefighters and first responders enough for keeping the fire contained to just our house," said homeowner April Santangelo. "With this drought we’re in, this fire could have become much worse very quickly." Santangelo said she and her husband, John, raised three children in the hous…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
UPDATE: Fierce Passaic County House Fire Kills Two, Authorities Confirm UPDATE: Fierce Passaic County House Fire Kills Two, Authorities Confirm
Update: Fierce Passaic County House Fire Kills Two, Authorities Confirm Two women died in a fierce Passaic County house fire, authorities confirmed. The three-alarm fire broke out in the basement of two-story, wood-frame home at the top of a long, steep driveway across Hamburg Turnpike from the Stumble Inn in Bloomingdale around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30. One victim was found moments after firefighters arrived. The other was discovered shortly before the fire was declared under control around 9:30 a.m., responders at the scene said. A cause hadn't yet been officially determined. Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, Bloomingdale Police Chief Joseph B…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
UPDATE: Teen Driver Dies After Head-On Crash Near Bergen/Passaic Border UPDATE: Teen Driver Dies After Head-On Crash Near Bergen/Passaic Border
Update: Teen Driver Dies After Head-On Crash Near Bergen/Passaic Border UPDATE: An 18-year-old West Milford motorist who was airlifted to the hospital following a head-on crash on Skyline Drive in Oakland was later pronounced dead, authorities said. An investigation into the cause of the collision was continuing, they said, adding that he won't be publicly identified until next of kin are properly notified. The southbound teenage driver's Toyota Corolla crossed the double-yellow line and slammed into a northbound Ford van driven by a 64-year-old Ringwood woman shortly before 1:30 p.m. Monday, Oakland Police Capt. Timothy Keenan said. Borough firefighters extr…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
Seriously Injured Teen Driver Airlifted After Head-On Crash Near Bergen/Passaic Border Seriously Injured Teen Driver Airlifted After Head-On Crash Near Bergen/Passaic Border
Seriously Injured Teen Driver Airlifted After Head-On Crash Near Bergen/Passaic Border A seriously injured 18-year-old West Milford motorist who was airlifted to the hospital following a head-on crash on Skyline Drive in Oakland was later pronounced dead, authorities said. The southbound teenage driver's Toyota Corolla crossed the double-yellow line and slammed into a northbound Ford van driven by a 64-year-old Ringwood woman shortly before 1:30 p.m. Monday, Oakland Police Capt. Timothy Keenan said. Borough firefighters extricated the teen, who was brought by members of the Oakland First Aid Squad to Indian Hills High School, Keenan said. There he was loaded into Hackensack…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
Career Criminal Caught With Drugs, Theft Proceeds After Stolen Car Crash: Hasbrouck Heights PD Career Criminal Caught With Drugs, Theft Proceeds After Stolen Car Crash: Hasbrouck Heights PD
Career Criminal Caught With Drugs, Theft Proceeds After Stolen Car Crash: Hasbrouck Heights PD A convicted drug-addicted car thief with a decades-long criminal record was found with crack, heroin and the proceeds from several vehicle burglaries after he crashed a stolen car overnight, Hasbrouck Heights police said. John Petsu, 42, of West Milford failed a field sobriety test administered by Sgt. John Behr after crashing a 2019 Nissan Altima near the interchange for Routes 17 and 46, Detective Sgt. Jeffrey Werner said. The sedan had been stolen out of Hackensack, although the owner didn’t immediately know it was gone, the sergeant said. Besides the drugs, Petsu had “multiple items fr…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
Crash Seriously Injures Driver, 64, Outside Her West Milford Home Crash Seriously Injures Driver, 64, Outside Her West Milford Home
Crash Seriously Injures Driver, 64, Outside Her West Milford Home A West Milford driver was seriously injured when her sedan collided with a van right outside her home, authorities said. Yolanda Tineo, 64, was taken to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center after her 2011 Honda Accord collided with a 2020 GMC Savana on a stretch of Germantown Road north of Route 23 shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, they said. The other driver, Nicholas Kovatch, 28, of Hewitt wasn’t injured, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and West Milford Police Chief James DeVore said in a joint release. They asked that anyone who might have witnessed the crash or…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
West Milford Crash Kills Driver West Milford Crash Kills Driver
West Milford Crash Kills Driver A 58-year-old driver was killed in an afternoon crash in West Milford, authorities confirmed. The late victim was driving a 2007 Ford Escape that collided with a 2019 Chevy Silverado on Germantown Road north of Route 23 shortly before 1 p.m. Monday, March 21, they said. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and West Milford Police Chief James DeVore said in a joint release. The 51-year-old male driver of the Silverado was taken to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson with injuries that weren’t considered life-threatening, they said. …

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Windy Weather Challenges Firefighters Dousing Destructive Sussex County Blaze (PHOTOS) Windy Weather Challenges Firefighters Dousing Destructive Sussex County Blaze (PHOTOS)
Windy Weather Challenges Firefighters Dousing Destructive Sussex County Blaze (Photos) Windy and icy weather conditions created a challenge for firefighters who doused a Sussex County blaze late Sunday night into Monday morning. The fire broke out at a home near Maple Grange Park in Vernon, the McAfee Fire Department said. Also responding to the scene were the town’s three other fire departments — Vernon FD, Pochuck FD, and Highland Lakes FD. The fire took several hours to fully extinguish and seriously damaged the home, the department said. “Icy and windy conditions created a challenge for everyone operating on scene, and ultimately the operation continued into the early …

SHARE

by Valerie Musson
News
Pickup Driver, 77, Killed In West Milford Crash Pickup Driver, 77, Killed In West Milford Crash
Pickup Driver, 77, Killed In West Milford Crash A 77-year-old driver was killed when his pickup truck slammed into a utility pole and overturned in West Milford, authorities said. Gary Bartholomew of Hewitt was driving a 2005 Nissan Frontier that crashed on Lakeshore Drive in the area of Warwick Turnpike and Maple Shade Road at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and West Milford Police Chief James DeVore said. He was pronounced dead at the scene, they said Wednesday, adding that no other vehicles were involved. The road was reopened at 2:30 p.m.

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco