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Leonia, NJ

Brush Fire Ravages 19 Acres On Palisades: Firefighters Battle Blaze Amid Statewide Restrictions Brush Fire Ravages 19 Acres On Palisades: Firefighters Battle Blaze Amid Statewide Restrictions
Brush Fire Ravages 19 Acres On Palisades: Firefighters Battle Blaze Amid Statewide Restrictions Firefighters are battling a 19-acre brush fire that erupted Thursday night, Nov. 7, on the cliffs of the Palisades Interstate Park.  Visible from across the Hudson River, the blaze has turned the scenic cliffs into an intense battle zone, with flames licking at the steep, rocky terrain and sending plumes of smoke billowing into the evening sky. The fire, fueled by dry brush and challenging cliffside conditions, remains only 30% contained as of Friday morning, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Crews from Fort Lee, Englewood, Ridgefield, Leonia, Edgewater, and more have jo…
Former Bergen County Real Estate Company Employee Siphoned $100K Into Bank Account, Police Say Former Bergen County Real Estate Company Employee Siphoned $100K Into Bank Account, Police Say
Former Bergen County Real Estate Company Employee Siphoned $100K Into Bank Account, Police Say A 52-year-old Bergen County woman has been charged with theft after police said she siphoned nearly $100,000 from a business account to her personal bank account. Maria Vega, 52, of Leonia — a former employee of a Passaic Street realty company in Rochelle Park — was identified as a suspect after accounting representatives recognized a series of wire transfers to a personal checking account on Wednesday, Sept. 11, RPPD Capt. James DePreta said. Bank records and subpoenas showed Vega wired the funds to the same account in which she received legitimate direct deposit payments between March 202…
18 Unsolved Burglaries Cracked: Pair Arrested In Months-Long North Jersey Spree 18 Unsolved Burglaries Cracked: Pair Arrested In Months-Long North Jersey Spree
18 Unsolved Burglaries Cracked: Pair Arrested In Months-Long North Jersey Spree Two men have been arrested and charged in 18 burglaries and one attempted burglary across North Jersey, authorities said. A months-long investigation found Kali J. Carter, 49, of East Orange, and Demetrius D. Hale, 49, of Bergenfield, were responsible for the incidents, all of which were residential burglaries, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Map of burglaries. Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Below is a list of each incident: January 2024: Residential burglaries in Ho-Ho-Kus, Hackensack, Paramus, Ridgewood (two), Chatham; attempted burglary in West Orange …
Nursing Home Vowed To Pay For Resident's Burial But Never Did, Says Scrambling Funeral Home Nursing Home Vowed To Pay For Resident's Burial But Never Did, Says Scrambling Funeral Home
Nursing Home Vowed To Pay For Resident's Burial But Never Did, Says Scrambling Funeral Home The Bergen County nursing home where 92-year-old Carmela Polimeni died has promised to pay for a proper burial, according to the funeral home handling arrangements. However, Eternity Funeral Service directors say they have yet to see the funds nearly a month after the former Leonia resident's death. On Wednesday, Aug. 14, CareOne issued a statement saying they were working with Eternity to provide Polimeni with a proper burial: CareOne at Cresskill was deeply saddened when Carmela Polimeni suddenly passed away. She has visited CareOne at Cresskill for several short stays and is loved by th…
Funeral Home's Search For Woman's Family Breaks Hearts In Bergen County Funeral Home's Search For Woman's Family Breaks Hearts In Bergen County
Funeral Home's Search For Woman's Family Breaks Hearts In Bergen County Her name was Carmela Polimeni, and her family is nowhere to be found. The 92-year-old Leonia resident died at CareOne at Cresskill on July 17, Aree Booker, the executive director of Eternity Funeral Services LLC in Englewood tells Daily Voice. UPDATE: Funeral Home Awaits Payment For Carmela Polimeni's Service Month After Her Death "Nursing homes are supposed to have arrangements pre-planned, next of kin, etcetera," Booker said on a call with Daily Voice Tuesday, Aug. 13. "But it seemed like [CareOne] dropped the ball." That leaves Booker scrambling to locate Polimeni's next of kin. So far…
NJ's Dominic Sessa Cast In New Anthony Bourdain Biopic: Report NJ's Dominic Sessa Cast In New Anthony Bourdain Biopic: Report
NJ's Dominic Sessa Cast In New Anthony Bourdain Biopic: Report Dominic Sessa is going from boarding school to the kitchen. The 21-year-old actor, who grew up in Egg Harbor Township and Ocean City, has been cast as Anthony Bourdain in a new biopic about the legendary chef, Deadline reports.  Bourdain is also a Garden State native, growing up in Leonia and having graduated from the Dwight-Englewood School. Sessa became a breakout star after appearing in "The Holdovers," a critically acclaimed dramedy about a boy stuck at boarding school over Christmas break with his misanthropic teacher.  Sessa attended Alder Avenue Middle School in Egg Harbo…
Half Of Hackensack Is Flooded, Route 17 Shut In Hasbrouck Heights: Storm Update Half Of Hackensack Is Flooded, Route 17 Shut In Hasbrouck Heights: Storm Update
Half Of Hackensack Is Flooded, Route 17 Shut In Hasbrouck Heights: Storm Update Following fierce storms swept through the region Tuesday evening, Aug. 6, many roadways were still flooded and wet, making for treacherous commutes Wednesday, Aug. 7. As of 8 a.m., Route 17 north was closed in Hasbrouck Heights at Route 46 due to flooding. The borough's fire department shared scenes from local streets. Last night, members stood by at the firehouse in anticipation of the storm. For several hours, the department responded... Posted by Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 Last night, members stood by at the firehouse in anticipation of the st…
Overturned Tractor Trailer Shuts All Lanes Of NJ Turnpike In Bergen County Overturned Tractor Trailer Shuts All Lanes Of NJ Turnpike In Bergen County
Overturned Tractor Trailer Shuts All Lanes Of NJ Turnpike In Bergen County All lanes of the NJ Turnpike were closed as of 10:55 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1 due to a tractor trailer that overturned in Bergen County, the NJDOT site says. It happened around 10:40 p.m. in the express lanes on the northbound side, just south of Exit 71 for Broad Avenue in Leonia. All lanes were blocked as of press time.
Tractor Trailer Crash Closes NJ Turnpike In Bergen County Tractor Trailer Crash Closes NJ Turnpike In Bergen County
Tractor Trailer Crash Closes NJ Turnpike In Bergen County A crash between a tractor trailer and a passenger car closed a portion of the New Jersey Turnpike in Bergen County Sunday evening, June 16, authorities said. The tractor trailer collided with a Toyota SUV on the northbound side at milepost 120.3 in Leonia, just before 8:30 p.m., New Jersey State Police Trooper Jeffrey Lebron said. Minor injuries were reported, however, all lanes were blocked for a significant amount of time. The crash remains under investigation, and no additional information was available.
Best Public High Schools In Bergen County Revealed In New Rankings Best Public High Schools In Bergen County Revealed In New Rankings
Best Public High Schools In Bergen County Revealed In New Rankings Bergen County is rife with top-rated schools. US News & World Report released its list of best high schools in the nation this week — and many of them are in Bergen County. ALSO SEE: Best High Schools: New Jersey Well-Represented In New National Rankings The rankings were determined by performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare students for college. Bergen County Academies in Hackensack came in at No. 62 nationally and No. 4 in all of New Jersey. According to US News & World Report, here are the top-rated schools in the county: No. 15: Pasca…
SEEN IT? Distinctive Jeep Flees Crash With Pedestrian, 63, In Leonia SEEN IT? Distinctive Jeep Flees Crash With Pedestrian, 63, In Leonia
Seen IT? Distinctive Jeep Flees Crash With Pedestrian, 63, In Leonia The driver of a distinctive yellow Jeep kept going after hitting a 63-year-old pedestrian in downtown Leonia, authorities said. The westbound two-door Wrangler with a black top hit the victim as she crossed Hillside Avenue at Broad Avenue around 8:15 p.m. Friday, April 5, Leonia Police Chief Scott Tamagny said. The Jeep kept going toward Teaneck, the chief said. "The pedestrian sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention at the scene," Tamagny said. ANYONE who sees the vehicle or knows where to find it is asked to contact Leonia police at (201) 944-0800 or tips@leonianj.go…
Ex-Con Charged By FBI With Igniting Explosive Outside Passaic County ATM Ex-Con Charged By FBI With Igniting Explosive Outside Passaic County ATM
Ex-Con Charged By FBI With Igniting Explosive Outside Passaic County ATM A career criminal from Passaic County who's been busted dozens of times in North Jersey in just the past few years used an explosive device to damage an ATM, federal authorities charged. Nicolas Torres, 41, of Passaic, has amassed a lengthy rap sheet over much of his adult life, mostly involving business break-ins that local police and county prosecutors have dealt with. This time, though, the FBI's got him. Torres was captured on surveillance video igniting the device in front of the Chase Bank ATM on North 6th Street in Prospect Park in the early morning hours of July 5, 2022, U.S. Attor…
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…
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. …
Hudson Ex-Con Delivering Flowers Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Woman On Bergen Street Hudson Ex-Con Delivering Flowers Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Woman On Bergen Street
Hudson Ex-Con Delivering Flowers Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Woman On Bergen Street A floral deliveryman with a criminal history was convicted of grabbing a woman on a Leonia street and trying to sexually assault her in Leonia after harassing her 20 minutes earlier in Fort Lee. Randy Gallman of Jersey City was on the clock when he harassed the woman the afternoon of Dec. 29, 2020, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. He caught up to her a short time later, dragged her into an alleyway and tried to sexually assault her, the prosecutor said on Friday, Dec. 16. The victim said she screamed and Gallman ran off as she dialed 911. Local police notified detectives with M…
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…
BIAS CRIME: Englewood Man Attacks Couple Trying To Stop Vandalism Of Pro-Israel Sign: Leonia PD BIAS CRIME: Englewood Man Attacks Couple Trying To Stop Vandalism Of Pro-Israel Sign: Leonia PD
Bias Crime: Englewood Man Attacks Couple Trying To Stop Vandalism Of Pro-Israel Sign: Leonia PD A 23-year-old Englewood man assaulted a man and hit a woman who tried to stop him from vandalizing a pro-Israel sign on a Leonia street, authorities charged. The couple was headed across the Edgewood Road bridge over Route 95 shortly before 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, when they saw Keon Jordan Davis Williams damaging the sign, Leonia Police Chief Scott Tamagny said. They pulled over and exchanged words with him, the chief said. Davis-Williams then “knocked the driver’s cellphone out of his hand, damaging the cellphone, then assaulted the driver and struck the passenger when she attempted…
Brawl At End Of Teaneck HS Basketball Game Versus Hackensack Brings Area Reinforcements Brawl At End Of Teaneck HS Basketball Game Versus Hackensack Brings Area Reinforcements
Brawl At End Of Teaneck HS Basketball Game Versus Hackensack Brings Area Reinforcements A wave of police from nearly a dozen area law enforcement agencies converged on Teaneck High School after a brawl erupted Thursday night at the end of a two-point boys basketball victory over Hackensack. A girls basketball game against both schools in Hackensack had been canceled following a fight there, which brought extra uniformed and plainclothes officers to the Dec. 14 match at Teaneck High School. At the end of the 54-52 boys game, the officers “observed several small fights erupt between groups of spectators,” Teaneck Police Chief Andrew McGurr said. There was also a report that a t…
GOTCHA! Leonia Officer Quickly Finds Familiar Face Who Fled Traffic Stop: Police GOTCHA! Leonia Officer Quickly Finds Familiar Face Who Fled Traffic Stop: Police
Gotcha! Leonia Officer Quickly Finds Familiar Face Who Fled Traffic Stop: Police A repeat offender who might’ve thought he’d given a Leonia police sergeant the slip would've been wrong. It began when Leonia Police Sgt. Ray Forsdahl tried to stop a BMW with New York plates for a violation in the area of Broad and Lakeview avenues, Capt. Chris Garris said. The driver kept going, though, getting onto southbound Route 95, the captain said on Friday, Dec. 1. Forsdahl pursued him for a ways, then dropped back out of safety reasons, he said. Besides, he knew who the driver was.  Didn’t take long to figure out where he laid his head, either. To call Brandon Warren, 28,…
Bogota Man Killed In Predawn House Fire Bogota Man Killed In Predawn House Fire
Bogota Man Killed In Predawn House Fire UPDATE: A senior resident was killed in an intense house fire before dawn Saturday in Bogota, authorities confirmed. CPR was in progress as the unresponsive 74-year-old military veteran was rushed to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, responders said. A woman who lived with him in the single-family house at the corner of River Road at West Main Street escaped after the three-alarm fire ignited around 6 a.m. Nov. 18, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. She declined being taken to a hospital, the prosecutor said. Aftermath. Damien Danis for DAIL…
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)* —…
Cocaine Found After 7MPH Driver Tries Speeding Off From Leonia PD Into Fort Lee, Chief Says Cocaine Found After 7MPH Driver Tries Speeding Off From Leonia PD Into Fort Lee, Chief Says
Cocaine Found After 7MPH Driver Tries Speeding Off From Leonia PD Into Fort Lee, Chief Says A motorist who caught a Leonia police officer’s attention by going 7 miles an hour tried to speed away into Fort Lee, recklessly running a red light in the middle of the afternoon, before she was caught, authorities said. Officer Debbie Maldonado spotted the black Acura trudging up Fort Lee Road from Grand Avenue around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, Leonia Police Chief Scott Tamagny said. Maldonado pulled behind the vehicle, whose driver stopped several times for no apparent reason, then signaled a turn at Broad Avenue but kept going straight through the turn lane, the chief said. The office…
Leonia Youth Gymnastics Coach Charged With Sexually Assaulting Pre-Teen Leonia Youth Gymnastics Coach Charged With Sexually Assaulting Pre-Teen
Leonia Youth Gymnastics Coach Charged With Sexually Assaulting Pre-Teen A Leonia youth gymnastics instructor was charged with sexually assaulting a pre-teen repeatedly over the course of six months. Anibal Oyola, a 39-year-old Ecuadorian national who lives in Leonia, was arrested on Tuesday, Aug. 8, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Detectives from his Special Victims Unit who were contacted the day before by Leonia police determined that Oyola sexually assaulted the child, who was under 13, “on multiple occasions over the course of six months” in Leonia, the prosecutor said. Oyola remained held Wednesday in the Bergen County Jail, charged with aggra…
Gang Member Who Stabbed New Leonia GF Dead With Young Daughter Home Gets 35 Years In Prison Gang Member Who Stabbed New Leonia GF Dead With Young Daughter Home Gets 35 Years In Prison
Gang Member Who Stabbed New Leonia GF Dead With Young Daughter Home Gets 35 Years In Prison UPDATE: A Paterson gang member was sentenced to 30 years in prison for stabbing his new girlfriend to death in the Leonia apartment that she shared with her young daughter. Murder pleas are rare in Bergen County, where deals are often cut for just about every other charge. Nile “OG Cripp” Diakos, 36, nonetheless got a deal from prosecutors in the March 26, 2022 stabbing death of Alicia Arnone, 35. In exchange for his guilty plea, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office agreed to a 30-year sentence – with no parole. Another five will be tacked on for stalking and weapons possession by a con…
Out-Of-State Driver Caught Toting A Purple Handgun, Leonia Officer On Hot Streak Out-Of-State Driver Caught Toting A Purple Handgun, Leonia Officer On Hot Streak
Out-Of-State Driver Caught Toting A Purple Handgun, Leonia Officer On Hot Streak A Leonia police officer made his third gun arrest in less than a week after he stopped an unregistered sedan and spotted a purple Glock in the female driver’s center console, authorities said. Officer Devon O’Donnell pulled the 2022 Toyota Camry over on Fort Lee Road around 1:15 a.m. Sunday, July 23, Police Chief Scott Tamagny said. Backup Sgt. Sihoon Chung, Officer Debbie Maldonado and Palisades Park Officer Theodore Christolias arrived within moments and the driver was taken into custody. Jayme R. Benefield, 53, of Salem, Alabama, was charged with unlawful possession of a handgun and pos…
Sharp-Eyed Leonia Officer Nabs Jersey City Pair With Loaded Guns Sharp-Eyed Leonia Officer Nabs Jersey City Pair With Loaded Guns
Sharp-Eyed Leonia Officer Nabs Jersey City Pair With Loaded Guns A Leonia patrol officer picked off two young Jersey City men who authorities said had two loaded guns when he stopped them. Officer Devon O’Donnell stopped a 2019 BMW 530i driven by George I. Cannon, 21, for multiple motor vehicle violations on Grand Avenue after it came off Fort Lee Road shortly after 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, Police Chief Scot Tamagny said. The officer immediately spotted a large bag of pot, leading to a search that turned up the handguns, Tamagny said. O’Donnell arrested Cannon and his passenger, Benu Amuntehu, 19, with help from Sgt. Sihoon Chung and Office Debbie Ma…
There's Copper Theft, And Then There’s Nearly A Ton That Leonia Police Say One Guy Got There's Copper Theft, And Then There’s Nearly A Ton That Leonia Police Say One Guy Got
There's Copper Theft, And Then There’s Nearly A Ton That Leonia Police Say One Guy Got A thief was caught by a Leonia police officer with 1,800 pounds of copper wire worth more than $10,000 that authorities said he stole from Con Ed job sites in Manhattan. Victor Mejia, 38, of Leonia “appeared nervous and gave a conflicting statement” about his travels after Officer Ryan Berger stopped him on Fort Lee Road by DeGraw Avenue around 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 14, Capt. Chris Garris said. In the back of his vehicle was “a large item under a blanket,” the captain said. When Berger asked about it, Mejia admitted what he’d done, he said. It's mind-boggling, really. Depending on …
Little Pete Comes Home: North Jersey Actor Hosting Book Signing Little Pete Comes Home: North Jersey Actor Hosting Book Signing
Little Pete Comes Home: North Jersey Actor Hosting Book Signing If you grew up watching Nickelodeon in the 90s, and come on, who didn't, this is the event for you. Danny Tamberelli, who played "Little" Pete Wrigley on "The Adventures of Pete and Pete" will be signing copies of his new book, "The First Date Prophecy," along with his wife Kate, at Bookends in Ridgewood on Thursday, June 29 at 6 p.m. Tamberelli grew up in Maywood and Wyckoff and graduated from Ramapo High School in 2000. "Pete and Pete", which aired in the early 90s on Nickelodeon, was filmed throughout North Jersey, mainly in Leonia. The novel is inspired by the Tamberelli's own love sto…
Addicted Hooker, Longtime Guy Pal Rob Drug Buyer Lured To Route 23 Motel: Wayne PD Addicted Hooker, Longtime Guy Pal Rob Drug Buyer Lured To Route 23 Motel: Wayne PD
Addicted Hooker, Longtime Guy Pal Rob Drug Buyer Lured To Route 23 Motel: Wayne PD A convicted hooker with a heart of coal and her longtime running mate were both captured after authorities said they lured a man to a Wayne motel and then robbed him at gunpoint. It wasn’t much of a surprise to police who flushed Katherine Berg, 34, of Paterson, and Emin Goroveci, 37, of Succasunna from the woods behind the Wayne Inn that they were the ones who concocted the setup, given their drug-related, violent histories. Three years ago, the pair robbed a Leonia man whom Berg met online of several valuables – including his car -- after she slipped the victim a mickey that knocked him u…
Told Not To Smoke, Lyft Passenger From Jersey City Assaults Driver, Snatches Keys: Leonia PD Told Not To Smoke, Lyft Passenger From Jersey City Assaults Driver, Snatches Keys: Leonia PD
Told Not To Smoke, Lyft Passenger From Jersey City Assaults Driver, Snatches Keys: Leonia PD A passenger assaulted a Lyft driver, took the keys and took off when she wasn't allowed to smoke during the ride, police in Leonia said. Tiffanie Grant, 41, of Jersey City got into a heated exchange with the driver, who stopped on Fort Lee Road near Spring Street around 2 p.m. last Friday afternoon, June 9, Leonia Police Chief Scott Tamagny said. "That's where the argument became physical," the chief said. After punching and grabbing the driver by the neck, Grant snatched the keys and hopped out, Tamagny said. Special Law Enforcement Officer II Steve Oxnard and Officer Anthony Mikatarian …
UPDATE: Couple In Classic Car Killed In Fiery Turnpike Crash UPDATE: Couple In Classic Car Killed In Fiery Turnpike Crash
Update: Couple In Classic Car Killed In Fiery Turnpike Crash UPDATE: Two people were killed when their classic car was rear-ended overnight on the New Jersey Turnpike, authorities confirmed. The man and woman died after the 1950s-era Plymouth was struck by a Jeep Cherokee and both burst into flames near Exit 70B on northbound I-95 around midnight Sunday, June 11, they said. Identification of both of them was pending, New Jersey State Police Sgt. Philip Curry said. Two people in the Jeep sustained minor injuries, the sergeant said. UPDATE: Two people were killed when their classic car was rear-ended overnight on the New Jersey Turnpike, authori…