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Toms River Woman Admits To Robbing Woman With Knife, Having Cocaine: Prosecutors
A Toms River woman admitted to robbing another woman with a knife, having cocaine, and spitting in the faces of officers, authorities said.
Olivia Paige, 35, pleaded guilty on Monday, Apr. 22 to robbery, possession of cocaine, and aggravated assault. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced the guilty pleas in a news release on Wednesday, Apr. 24.
Brick Township police responded to a shoplifting report at a convenience store on Maple Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. Officers determined Paige took items from the store without paying for them.
Police arrested Paige af…
Seaside Heights Voters Reject Merger With Toms River School District: Unofficial Results
Seaside Heights voters rejected a plan to merge the island borough's school district with the Toms River Regional School District.
According to unofficial results, 232 voters in Seaside Heights voted "no" on the merger, while 167 voters said "yes" in the referendum on Tuesday, Apr. 16. The plan would have eventually closed the Seaside district's only school Hugh J. Boyd, Jr. Elementary School.
Mainland voters overwhelmingly approved the merger plan, which would have gone into effect in the 2024-25 school year. In Beachwood, Pine Beach, South Toms River, and Toms River, 7,186 voters sai…
Farmingdale Man Accused Of Trying To Abduct Girl In South Jersey Crime Spree To Remain In Jail
A Monmouth County man will remain in jail after he was accused of trying to kidnap a teen girl and groping a woman in a Target parking lot during a two-county crime spree, authorities said.
Quamel Benton, 35, of Farmingdale, was ordered by a judge on Wednesday, Apr. 10 to remain in Burlington County Jail through his trial, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He was charged in Ocean County with attempted kidnapping, luring, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal sexual contact, two counts of eluding, resisting arrest, and obstruction.
L…
Farmingdale Man Tried To Abduct Teen Girl, Groped Woman In Crime Spree: Prosecutors
A Monmouth County man was accused of trying to kidnap a teen girl and groping a woman in a Target parking lot as part of a two-county crime spree, authorities said.
Quamel Benton, 35, of Farmingdale, was arrested on Friday, Mar. 22, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He was charged with attempted kidnapping, luring, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal sexual contact, two counts of eluding, resisting arrest, and obstruction.
Lakewood police responded to a report of an attempted kidnapping near Forest Park Circle at around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Ma…
Toms River Teacher Who Sent Inappropriate Pics To Student, Took Classroom Nudes Sentenced
A former Toms River teacher will spend time in prison after admitting to sending inappropriate Snapchat pictures to a student and posting sexual photos of himself in his classroom, authorities said.
Kyle Banner, 49, of Brick Township, was sentenced on Friday, Mar. 22 to four months in Ocean County Jail, county prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced in a news release. He was a teacher at Toms River Intermediate North (TRIN) and Ocean County College.
Banner pleaded guilty on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, to three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. As part of his plea, Banner…
Toms River Dad Robert Catalfamo Dies Suddenly, 43
Robert Michael Catalfamo, of Toms River, died suddenly on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Community Medical Center, according to an obituary published by McCriskin-Gustafson Family of Funeral Homes and a GoFundMe campaign. He was 43 years old.
Nearly $20,000 was raised for medical and funeral expenses by the GoFundMe page as of Thursday, March 7.
Rob was a 1999 graduate of South Plainfield High School, his obituary said.
Rob lived in Jersey City and later began a career in hospitality, and eventually to Albany, NY, where he worked for the New York Board of Health, according to his obit.
Rob …
Death Of Shrewsbury Realtor Blake Pierce, 36, Shatters Hearts
The death of Blake Pierce, a 36-year-old realtor, is breaking hearts across New Jersey.
The Shrewsbury resident, formerly of Toms River, died on Feb. 18, 2024, his obituary on the Silverton Memorial Website says.
Blake had been working as the director of coaching for Re-Max First in East Brunswick, his obituary says. His profile shows he was a realtor at KW City Life Hoboken.
His coworkers are deeply impacted by his loss.
"I always thought I could learn from you a different day," one wrote on Instagram. "You would be there next week sharing your knowledge, insight and laughing …
Thieves Steal Several Catalytic Converters In Toms River Neighborhood: Police
Toms River police are warning residents after a string of catalytic converter thefts over two days, authorities said.
Suspects cut catalytic converters from six vehicles in a neighborhood near Garden State Parkway exit 83, Toms River police said in a Facebook post on Thursday, Feb. 29. The vehicles were parked on Colonial Drive, Curtis Place, Morristown Drive, Ivan Court, and Hilltop Drive.
The affected vehicles included two Volkswagen Jettas, a Kia Soul, a Kia Sorento, a Kia Sportage, and a Honda Accord. Police released a photo of a white SUV suspected of being involved in t…