Fair 31°
Police & Fire
SEEN HER? Search Continues For Runaway Bergen Teen SEEN HER? Search Continues For Runaway Bergen Teen
Seen HER? Search Continues For Runaway Bergen Teen A 14-year-old runaway from Ridgefield Park has continued to refuse to return home. The good news is that Jasmine Medina Ortiz spoke with her mom, texted friends that she's OK and has reportedly remained active on social media, all within the past 24 hours. Loved ones and authorities still hadn't found her as of Monday night Dec. 4, however. Ridgefield Park police confirmed that they're actively searching for the high school freshman. The New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency also reportedly is involved. The last adult to reportedly see Jasmine said she was headed to schoo…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
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,…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
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…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Arrest Made In Hit-And-Run That Seriously Injured Route 46 Pedestrian : Ridgefield Park PD Arrest Made In Hit-And-Run That Seriously Injured Route 46 Pedestrian : Ridgefield Park PD
Arrest Made In Hit-And-Run That Seriously Injured Route 46 Pedestrian : Ridgefield Park PD Authorities arrested a tow truck driver from Philadelphia who they said kept on going after hitting and seriously injuring a 67-year-old pedestrian crossing Route 46 six weeks ago. Naser Abu Ali, 20, was driving a 2014 Ford transit van that hit Elizabeth Crum as she crossed at the light on Route 46 (Winant Avenue) in Ridgefield Park on Sept. 24, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Crum, of Ridgefield Park, was taken by ambulance to The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, where she was treated for serious bodily injuries, the prosecutor said. Meanwhile, detectives from Musella’s Major Cri…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
HIGH LIFE: Ridgefield Park Man Charged With Spending $100G Treasury Check Stolen Out Of Teaneck HIGH LIFE: Ridgefield Park Man Charged With Spending $100G Treasury Check Stolen Out Of Teaneck
High Life: Ridgefield Park Man Charged With Spending $100G Treasury Check Stolen Out Of Teaneck A Ridgefield Park man intercepted a $100,000 U.S. Treasury check that was headed to a beneficiary in Teaneck, then spent the money on himself, authorities charged. Tyler N. Thomas, 27, “created a fictitious LLC and opened a bank account to deposit the check for his own benefit,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. He then “withdrew funds and made several purchases prior to the detection of the fraud,” Musella said. Thomas (also known as Tyler D. Rodriguez) surrendered himself on Oct. 10 amid a joint investigation by members of Musella’s Financial Crime Unit and Teaneck police, the…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
9/11 Victim's Son Comes To Bergen To Discuss Addiction, Depression And Redemption 9/11 Victim's Son Comes To Bergen To Discuss Addiction, Depression And Redemption
9/11 Victim's Son Comes To Bergen To Discuss Addiction, Depression And Redemption The author of the first book by a child of 9/11 is coming to Bergen County this week to talk about the consequences of opioid addiction. Little Ferry and Ridgefield Park police have partnered up to host Matthew Bocchi as part of their fight against the spreading opioid epidemic. Eight years sober, Bocchi will talk about drug and alcohol abuse as well as the fateful day in 2001 when his father was among nearly 3,000 people killed in the simultaneous attacks on America. Bocchi gained recognition for his best-selling memoir, "Sway," in which he shares his journey to wellness. His talks ampl…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
SEE ANYTHING? Hit-Run Driver Seriously Injures Teens Riding Motorized Scooter On NJ Turnpike SEE ANYTHING? Hit-Run Driver Seriously Injures Teens Riding Motorized Scooter On NJ Turnpike
SEE Anything? Hit-Run Driver Seriously Injures Teens Riding Motorized Scooter On NJ Turnpike Two teens riding on a motorized scooter on the New Jersey Turnpike were seriously injured when they were struck by a vehicle that fled the scene, State Police said. Authorities turned to the public for help identifying the hit-and-run vehicle. The 16-year-old scooter driver from Jersey City had an 18-year-old girl from Union City as his passenger when they were struck in the northbound lanes in Ridgefield Park shortly after 12:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, NJSP Sgt. Charles Marchan said. The fleeing vehicle might have been a white Ford transit van, the sergeant said. Dealing with the teen dr…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Suspicious Pre-Dawn Pair On Quiet Ridgefield Park Street Had Company: Police Suspicious Pre-Dawn Pair On Quiet Ridgefield Park Street Had Company: Police
Suspicious Pre-Dawn Pair On Quiet Ridgefield Park Street Had Company: Police Two out-of-towners moving stealthily before dawn on a quiet Ridgefield Park street apparently didn’t realize they had company, authorities said. Officer Kenneth Knebl spotted their parked Toyota Prius with New York plates -- and its headlights off -- near Fellowship Park around 4:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, Lt. Justin Tress said. As Knebl watched, the driver turned on the lights, reversed down the block and parked in another spot, the lieutenant said. One of the occupants got out, approached a nearby home and returned soon after, Tress said. The driver then headed back to the original park…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Lifestyle
Taylor Swift: Eras Tour Movie Comes To NJ Theaters (And Tickets Are Just $19.89) Taylor Swift: Eras Tour Movie Comes To NJ Theaters (And Tickets Are Just $19.89)
Taylor Swift: Eras Tour Movie Comes To NJ Theaters (And Tickets Are Just $19.89) Couldn't get tickets to see Taylor Swift's The Era Tour in person? You're very much not alone. But don't worry, Swifties, there's a way to experience the pop culture juggernaut. "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" will be premiering at AMC Theatres throughout the Garden State starting on Friday, Oct. 13 (obviously) with tickets going on sale Thursday, Aug. 31. Showtimes will run Thursdays to Sundays.  Standard showings are priced at $19.89 (cute!) for adults and $13.13 for seniors and children (of course).  The concert film, which will run 2 hours and 45 minutes long (or short),&…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Hackensack Resident, Cat Flee House Fire Hackensack Resident, Cat Flee House Fire
Hackensack Resident, Cat Flee House Fire A resident and his cat got out OK before Hackensack firefighters quickly doused a house blaze. No injuries were reported in the fire, which ignited in the ceiling of a second-floor bathroom between the rafters and the third floor of the single-family corner house at Clinton and Clarendon places shortly after 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21. Firefighters quickly knocked it down and had it under control in roughly a half hour. Mutual aid responders included firefighters from Englewood, Teaneck, Ridgefield Park and Bogota. The city Building Department, a PSE&G crew and Hackensack University Med…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Two More Alleged Pre-Teen Sex Assault Victims Of Ridgefield Park Trucker Increase Total To 5 Two More Alleged Pre-Teen Sex Assault Victims Of Ridgefield Park Trucker Increase Total To 5
Two More Alleged Pre-Teen Sex Assault Victims Of Ridgefield Park Trucker Increase Total To 5 Two adults have come forward in the case of an independent trucker from Ridgefield Park already accused of multiple sex assaults to say that they, too, were abused by him 20 years ago, authorities said Friday. That brings the total to five alleged victims of Humberto Duenas, 61. The defendant, who owns and operates Duenas Trucking from his Paulison Avenue home off Webster Street, was originally arrested on July 5 following an investigation by Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella’s Special Victims Unit. Investigators found that Duenas sexually assaulted three victims “at multiple locations…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Ridgefield Park Trucker Sexually Assaulted Pre-Teen, Two Other Victims: Bergen Prosecutor Ridgefield Park Trucker Sexually Assaulted Pre-Teen, Two Other Victims: Bergen Prosecutor
Ridgefield Park Trucker Sexually Assaulted Pre-Teen, Two Other Victims: Bergen Prosecutor An independent trucker from Ridgefield Park was charged with sexually assaulting three separate victims, including a preteen. Humberto Duenas, 61, who owns and operates Duenas Trucking from his Paulison Avenue home off Webster Street, was arrested following an investigation by Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella’s Special Victims Unit. Investigators found that Duenas “sexually assaulted the victims at multiple locations,” Musella said. Duenas is charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault on a victim who was “helpless or incapacitated,” as well as sexual assault, aggravated crim…

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by Jerry DeMarco