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Police & Fire
CRIME SPREE: Paramus Police Nab Thieving Trio With $12,800 Worth Of Loot At Garden State Plaza CRIME SPREE: Paramus Police Nab Thieving Trio With $12,800 Worth Of Loot At Garden State Plaza
Crime Spree: Paramus Police Nab Thieving Trio With $12,800 Worth Of Loot At Garden State Plaza A trio of thieving New Yorkers were in the middle of a big-ticket crime spree at the Garden State Plaza -- snatching nearly 200 items worth more than $12,800 in under an hour and a half -- when Paramus police nabbed them, authorities said. Police caught their break when the three stole a cellphone and a wallet from a pair of kiosk workers shortly before 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 12, Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti said. Assisted by mall security, Paramus Detective Lt. Tom Schroeder and Detective Mark Pinajian quickly homed in on the trio, he said. Two of them -- Alexander Aria…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Holiday Shooting That Wounded 3 In Paterson Committed By Two 16-Year-Olds, Authorities Charge Holiday Shooting That Wounded 3 In Paterson Committed By Two 16-Year-Olds, Authorities Charge
Holiday Shooting That Wounded 3 In Paterson Committed By Two 16-Year-Olds, Authorities Charge A Labor Day weekend shooting in Paterson that wounded three men last year was committed by two 16-year-olds, authorities said. A lengthy investigation led to the detentions of both boys, one from Paterson, the other from Clifton, for the Sept. 3 shooting, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Department Officer-In-Charge Isa Abbassi announced. Delinquency complaints charge both with attempted murder and weapons offenses, they said. City police found two victims – one 28 from Elmwood Park and the other 33 from Paterson – while responding to a 2:40 a.m. call at Unio…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
SEE ANYTHING? Grandmother Of 13 Struck Crossing Passaic Street Dies, Hit-And-Run Driver Sought SEE ANYTHING? Grandmother Of 13 Struck Crossing Passaic Street Dies, Hit-And-Run Driver Sought
SEE Anything? Grandmother Of 13 Struck Crossing Passaic Street Dies, Hit-And-Run Driver Sought A grandmother of 13 died from injuries that she suffered when she was struck by a hit-and-run driver in Passaic a day and a half earlier, authorities confirmed. Meanwhile, her killer remained unidentified. Rachel McNeil, 58, was struck at the intersection of Passaic and Aycrigg avenues at 11:13 p.m. Wednesday, April 10. The driver kept going. McNeil died shortly after noontime Friday, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Passaic Police Department Chief Luis A. Guzman said in a joint release. McNeil, who worked at St. Mary's General Hospital not far from where she was s…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
NO CHOICE: Police Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding NJ Man, Grand Jury Finds NO CHOICE: Police Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding NJ Man, Grand Jury Finds
NO Choice: Police Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding NJ Man, Grand Jury Finds UPDATE: Police were justified in shooting a New Jersey man seen on bodycam video charging at an officer with a knife, a grand jury investigation required by state law found. Luke Mendez, 26, had his wrapped around the knife handle as he barreled down the steps of an Old Bridge home last April 24. Mendez was only two steps from the landing -- less than three feet from an Old Bridge officer -- when he left police no choice. Mendez was pronounced dead at a local hospital about 90 minutes later. Grand jurors reviewed various evidence but didn't really need any more than the bodycam video…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
HEARTBREAKING HISTORY: Suicidal Teen Rescued From Hackensack River For 4TH Time In Two Years HEARTBREAKING HISTORY: Suicidal Teen Rescued From Hackensack River For 4TH Time In Two Years
Heartbreaking History: Suicidal Teen Rescued From Hackensack River For 4TH Time In Two Years A troubled young local girl brought rescuers to a bridge over the Hackensack River for the fourth time in less than two years on Friday.  And like twice before, she nearly drowned. The girl also had guardian angels on her side once again -- this time a group of New Milford police officers. The youngster, now 16, was sitting on the edge of the Old New Bridge when Lt. Nelson Perez arrived around 2 p.m. April 12, New Milford Police Chief Brian Clancy said. The officer had gotten within 10 feet when she jumped, the chief said. The teen was treading water when Perez climbed over the…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Elizabeth Man Gets 25 Year For Attempting To Kill Woman With Car After Crash Elizabeth Man Gets 25 Year For Attempting To Kill Woman With Car After Crash
Elizabeth Man Gets 25 Year For Attempting To Kill Woman With Car After Crash A 57-year-old Elizabeth man was sentenced to 25 years in state prison on Friday, April 12 on the two-year anniversary of when he ran over a woman with his SUV following a minor crash, authorities said. At 8:30 a.m. on April 12, 2022,  Vincent Jean and Morgan Scott, a 23-year-old woman, had gotten into a collision on Salem Avenue and Aberdeen Road in Elizabeth, when Scott got out of her car and was taking pictures of the vehicles from the sidewalk, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel, Elizabeth Police Director Earl Graves, and Elizabeth Police Chief Giacomo Sacca said. Jean then s…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Teen Trio Caught With Gun After Crashing Stolen Car During Pursuit: Lyndhurst PD Teen Trio Caught With Gun After Crashing Stolen Car During Pursuit: Lyndhurst PD
Teen Trio Caught With Gun After Crashing Stolen Car During Pursuit: Lyndhurst PD Three young teenagers who ran after one of them crashed a stolen car into a tree during a Lyndhurst police pursuit left a handgun in the vehicle, authorities said. It was around 11 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, when Officer Michael Clifford spotted the Kia Soul in the area of Page Avenue and Lewandowski Street, Detective Lt. Vincent Auteri said. The subcompact had been reported stolen out of Clifton four days earlier, he said. Clifford tried to stop it but the 16-year-old driver from Passaic hit the gas and sped off on Page Avenue. The officer pursued the vehicle through Lyndhurst, along Schu…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
4th Suspect Charged In Shooting Near Rutgers Campus: Prosecutor 4th Suspect Charged In Shooting Near Rutgers Campus: Prosecutor
4th Suspect Charged In Shooting Near Rutgers Campus: Prosecutor A fourth man has been arrested and charged in connection with the shooting that occurred near the Rutgers University campus in New Brunswick, authorities said. On April 5, at approximately 2 a.m., authorities responded to 66 Easton Avenue after a report of a shooting. Police found one female and one male victim, who sustained gunshot wounds and were subsequently taken to Robert Wood Hospital for treatment.  Both victims were affiliated with Rutgers, campus police said. On April 6, Walter Rodriguez-Cardenas, 20, was arrested without incident in Plainfield w…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Crooked Cardio Doc Admits Pocketing $2 Million In Health Insurance Ripoffs Crooked Cardio Doc Admits Pocketing $2 Million In Health Insurance Ripoffs
Crooked Cardio Doc Admits Pocketing $2 Million In Health Insurance Ripoffs The owner and sole medical provider of a Middlesex County medical practice admitted in federal court that he pocketed nearly $2 million in a long-running series of blatant health insurance scams. Dr. Fazal Panezai, a 76-year-old cardiologist from Morganville, at one point submitted claims for a single day's worth of visits to his Matawan-Aberdeen Heart & Medical Center in May 2022 that totaled 27.9 hours, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Hei also billed health insurance providers more than $80,000 for office visits when he was out of the country, the U.S. attorney said. Panezai …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Woman High On Narcotics Indicted In NJ Crash That Killed Toddler: Prosecutors Woman High On Narcotics Indicted In NJ Crash That Killed Toddler: Prosecutors
Woman High On Narcotics Indicted In NJ Crash That Killed Toddler: Prosecutors A Monmouth County woman was indicted after she was accused of driving under the influence of drugs in a crash that killed a young girl, authorities said. Samantha Bonora, 31, of Howell, was indicted by a grand jury, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office announced in a news release on Friday, Apr. 12. She was charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, two counts of second-degree aggravated assault, and four counts of assault by auto. Howell police responded to a crash on Route 34 near the Colts Neck border at around 4:41 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13. Investigators said Bonor…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
3 'Young Adults' Killed In Fiery Route 1 Crash In South Brunswick 3 'Young Adults' Killed In Fiery Route 1 Crash In South Brunswick
3 'Young Adults' Killed In Fiery Route 1 Crash In South Brunswick Three people were killed in a fiery crash on Route 1 in South Brunswick on Friday, April 12, authorities said. The crash occurred at about 9:40 a.m. near Ridge Road, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka. "This is a tragic day, as three young adults have lost their lives in this horrific crash," Hayducka said. "To the parents, family, and friends our hearts go out to you. Please keep everyone involved in your thoughts and prayers tonight."  Police found a tractor-trailer had struck a van in the intersection.&nbs…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
NJ Widower, 91, Charged With Exposing Himself To Three Kids NJ Widower, 91, Charged With Exposing Himself To Three Kids
NJ Widower, 91, Charged With Exposing Himself To Three Kids A 91-year-old Saddle Brook widower was jailed Friday after authorities said he exposed himself to a trio of preteens. John Urso was booked into the Bergen County Jail on April 12 following his arrest on lewdness charges hours earlier, records show. The defendant "exposed themselves to students who were playing outside at Franklin School," Saddle Brook Schools Supt. Toni Violetti wrote in a message to the community. Violetti thanked staff at the K-6 school on Caldwell Avenue "for their quick response" and township police "for their swift investigation and decisive action." Bergen Cou…

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by Jerry DeMarco