Former West New York Police Officer Johnny Lara Dies, 53 Former West New York Police Officer Johnny Lara Dies, 53
Former West New York Police Officer Johnny Lara Dies, 53 Johnny A. Lara, a former West New York resident and police officer, died on Wednesday, Sept. 4. He was 53 years old. Lara was born in Colombia and grew up in West New York, having served as a police officer before retiring and moving to Houston TX, according to his obituary on the Barquin Funeral Home website. He is survived by his wife, Cindy Valderramos Lara; their children Brandon, Bella and Jeremy Lara; his mother Emma J. Lara; and his siblings, Rosario Crabtree, Jimmy and Sammy Lara. Lara was preceded in death by his father, Marcelino and his brother Henry Lara. Servic…
Motorcyclist Killed, Dirt Biker Seriously Injured In Garden State Parkway Crash (UPDATE) Motorcyclist Killed, Dirt Biker Seriously Injured In Garden State Parkway Crash (UPDATE)
Motorcyclist Killed, Dirt Biker Seriously Injured In Garden State Parkway Crash (Update) A 26-year-old motorcyclist was killed and a 49-year-old dirt bike operator was seriously injured in a crash Sunday, Sept. 8 on the Garden State Parkway in Toms River, authorities said. Antonio Caprara, 26, of Beachwood, was heading south on the right shoulder while Lenny Ritorto, of Toms River, was heading south on the acceleration lane from the Exit 81 entrance ramp when the two collided near milepost 81.7 around 1 p.m., New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said. Both vehicles overturned and both Caprara and Ritorto were thrown from their bikes, Lebron said. Caprara died while&…
Car Topples Utility Pole Outside Popular Bergen County Spanish Restaurant Car Topples Utility Pole Outside Popular Bergen County Spanish Restaurant
Car Topples Utility Pole Outside Popular Bergen County Spanish Restaurant A Bergen County roadway was closed Sunday morning, Sept. 8 due to a car that slammed into a utility pole. Photos shared by Carlstadt police show a sedan into a pole outside of Segovia on Washington Avenue. As of 11:45 a.m., the road was closed in both directions. Segovia is a popular steakhouse chain with several locations in Bergen County. The Segovia spot specializes in tapas.
Arrest Made After Hours-Long River Edge Standoff Arrest Made After Hours-Long River Edge Standoff
Arrest Made After Hours-Long River Edge Standoff A man was arrested after an hours-long standoff Saturday, Sept. 7 in River Edge. Police were called to an apartment at the Continental Gardens along Reservoir Avenue around 1 or 2 p.m., neighbors said. The Bergen County SWAT Team arrived, and remained at the scene until just before 7 p.m., when one person was escorted out from a unit. It wasn't immediately clear what precipitated the event. This is a developing story. Check back for more.
Tree Destroys House In Wyckoff Tree Destroys House In Wyckoff
Tree Destroys House In Wyckoff A Wyckoff home was destroyed by a tree that came crashing through during a quick-hitting storm on Saturday, Sept. 7. It happened just before 4: 30 p.m. on Monroe Avenue, when strong winds and rain swept through the region. Photos shared by Boyd A. Loving show the damage to the ranch-style home. No injuries were reported, but the home appeared to have been rendered uninhabitable, Loving said. The Wyckoff PD, Wyckoff FD, and Waldwick FD responded. Click here for more photos from Boyd A. Loving.
Sidewalk Pedestrian Airlifted After Being Struck By Man With History Of Careless Driving In NJ Sidewalk Pedestrian Airlifted After Being Struck By Man With History Of Careless Driving In NJ
Sidewalk Pedestrian Airlifted After Being Struck By Man With History Of Careless Driving In NJ A woman was flown to the hospital after a careless driver drove onto the sidewalk and struck her while she was walking her dog in an Ocean County town on Friday, Sept. 6, police said. Eugenio Carta of Berkeley Township was operating a 1999 Buick Sedan when he drove off the roadway, struck the victim walking her dog on the sidewalk, then came to rest after hitting a tree around 3 p.m. at the intersection on Doral Drive at Cohansey Drive, local police said. The woman suffered a head injury from the crash and was airlifted to Jersey Shore Medical Center where she was in critical but stable con…
Peeping Tom, 37, Films Inside Stranger's Home In Dumont, Police Say Peeping Tom, 37, Films Inside Stranger's Home In Dumont, Police Say
Peeping Tom, 37, Films Inside Stranger's Home In Dumont, Police Say A 37-year-old Dumont man was lodged in the Bergen County Jail on accusations he approached someone's front door and began filming the inside of their home, authorities said. Christian Ferrer was identified as the suspect who went up to the door of a stranger's home and used a cell phone to film inside the home, Dumont Police Detective Lt. Luke Totten said. Ferrer was charged with criminal trespass and stalking. He was lodged in the Bergen County Jail.
Paterson Car Thief Bails On Fort Lee Friend After Pursuit-Crash In Pompton Lakes: Police Paterson Car Thief Bails On Fort Lee Friend After Pursuit-Crash In Pompton Lakes: Police
Paterson Car Thief Bails On Fort Lee Friend After Pursuit-Crash In Pompton Lakes: Police Two car thieves were in custody after the driver led a pursuit and crashed, leaving his pal at the scene in Morris County this week, police said. On Wednesday, Sept. 4 around 1:45 a.m., Pompton Lakes Patrolman Collins was on duty when he spotted a 2023 Toyota Corolla that had been reported stolen the night before, police said in a news release. The vehicle was occupied by two individuals later identified as Dakota Cirelli, 24, of Paterson and Dilayda Aksoy, 22, of Fort Lee, and fled toward Watervliet and Albany avenues when they noticed police were after them. The vehicle cr…
Social Media Threat Prompts Shelter In Place For Paramus High School, Police Say Social Media Threat Prompts Shelter In Place For Paramus High School, Police Say
Social Media Threat Prompts Shelter In Place For Paramus High School, Police Say Paramus High School was sheltering in place following a threat made on social media on Friday, Sept. 6, police said. School administration called police around 2 p.m. reporting the threat made by a student, Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti said.  While the threat was unsubstantiated, officers remained at the school during dismissal, where students were released in stages for their safety, the chief said. The threat comes days after two teachers and two students were shot and killed at a high school in Georgia, the shooter identified as 14-year-old student Colt Gray.
Teen Wanted In Fatal NJ Transit Station Shooting Caught In Poconos: US Marshals Teen Wanted In Fatal NJ Transit Station Shooting Caught In Poconos: US Marshals
Teen Wanted In Fatal NJ Transit Station Shooting Caught In Poconos: US Marshals A New Jersey fugitive wanted in a deadly train station shooting and a home invasion was arrested in northeastern Pennsylvania, authorities said. U.S. Marshals took 19-year-old Damian Bass into custody, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Friday, Sept. 6. Bass' last known address was in Fanwood. Bass was charged with first-degree murder and two weapons offenses. He was accused of shooting and killing 43-year-old James Hailey of Newark. Marshals from Brooklyn, NY, and Scranton captured Bass in Chestnuthill Township, PA, on Thursday, Sept. 5. "We s…
Neighbors Evacuated In 22-Hour Standoff With Armed Man In Essex County: Police Neighbors Evacuated In 22-Hour Standoff With Armed Man In Essex County: Police
Neighbors Evacuated In 22-Hour Standoff With Armed Man In Essex County: Police A 34-year-old barricaded Irvington man was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 5 after a standoff that lasted nearly 24 hours, authorities said. At 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4, Irvington police responded to the 300 block of Nesbit Terrace on a report of an armed person and encountered Karim Brunson, who proceeded to barricade himself in the home, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens, II and Irvington Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers said. Irvington officers secured the area and received assistance from the Sheriff’s Tactical Response Team, Stephen and Bowers said. Trained negotiators …
Hackensack Man Burglarizes Multiple Maywood Cars, Abandons Stolen Vehicle Mile Away Hackensack Man Burglarizes Multiple Maywood Cars, Abandons Stolen Vehicle Mile Away
Hackensack Man Burglarizes Multiple Maywood Cars, Abandons Stolen Vehicle Mile Away A 32-year-old Hackensack man was arrested in Maywood for burglarizing multiple vehicles and fleeing in a stolen car over the weekend, police said. Joseph M. Schwing was captured on surveillance footage entering vehicles on East Central Avenue before fleeing through multiple Golf Avenue yards on foot, on Sunday, Sept. 1, Maywood Police Chief Terence Kenny said. Schwing then stole a vehicle from a Golf Avenue resident's driveway, which he abandoned just more than a mile away on Clarendon Place in Hackensack, Kenney said. "A total of six residents reported burglaries to their vehicles during …