Middlesex County Shooting Ruled Suicide, Prosecutor Says Middlesex County Shooting Ruled Suicide, Prosecutor Says
Middlesex County Shooting Ruled Suicide, Prosecutor Says A shooting death in Middlesex County on Wednesday, Sep. 18 has been ruled a suicide, authorities said. The victim's family member called 9-1-1 around 2:45 p.m., bringing Carteret police to Pershing and Union Avenue around 2:45 p.m., Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Carteret Police Chief Dennis McFadden said. Carteret Detective Keith Cassens and MCPO Detective Stephanie Redline found the man, who had suffered a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner completed an autopsy which determined that the cause of death was suicide. No further inf…
Trio Indicted In Plot To Murder Jersey Shore Man, Prosecutors Say Trio Indicted In Plot To Murder Jersey Shore Man, Prosecutors Say
Trio Indicted In Plot To Murder Jersey Shore Man, Prosecutors Say A grand jury indicted three men accused of plotting to shoot and kill another man in Jackson Township, authorities said. Michael Vulpis of Freehold Borough, Noah Phelps of Monroe Township, and Glenn Franzson of Jackson Township were indicted on Wednesday, Sept. 18, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. The three were facing charges in the shooting on Thursday, June 27. Jackson police responded to the shooting report on Larsen Road at around 12:20 a.m. and officers found a 27-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his face. He was treat…
'Sleepless Night:' 2 Hikers Safe After 5-Hour Rescue In North Jersey 'Sleepless Night:' 2 Hikers Safe After 5-Hour Rescue In North Jersey
'Sleepless Night:' 2 Hikers Safe After 5-Hour Rescue In North Jersey Two missing North Jersey hikers were rescued in a five-hour mission early Thursday, Sept. 19, responders said. According to the Cresskill Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Corsp, Rescue 728, the East Bergen Rappel Team, and Alpine firefighters were called to Stateline Lookout in Alpine for the two missing hikers.  Members rappelled over the edge and brought the hikers safely back.  "Sounds easy, but all units cleared the scene at 5:45 a.m.," CVARC said. "Approximately 35 responders x 5 hours. We are very fortunate to have so much dedication. Hikers stated they did not need any med…
North Jersey Man Arranged For Sex With Undercover Cop Posing As Boy, Prosecutors Say North Jersey Man Arranged For Sex With Undercover Cop Posing As Boy, Prosecutors Say
North Jersey Man Arranged For Sex With Undercover Cop Posing As Boy, Prosecutors Say A Bloomfield man was accused of trying to have sex with a Monmouth County investigator posing online as a teen boy, authorities said. Jonar Arenas, 48, was arrested on Wednesday, Sept. 18, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release. He was charged with second-degree luring, second-degree attempted sexual assault of a minor, and third-degree attempted endangering the welfare of a child. Investigators said Arenas contacted an undercover officer through an unnamed social media app in August. After chatting on the app and "other forms of communication," Arenas …
Plainfield Man Convicted Of Dragging Police Officer On Dirt Bike: Prosecutor Plainfield Man Convicted Of Dragging Police Officer On Dirt Bike: Prosecutor
Plainfield Man Convicted Of Dragging Police Officer On Dirt Bike: Prosecutor A 39-year-old Plainfield man was convicted on Friday, Sept. 13 of assaulting a North Plainfield police officer by dragging him on his dirt bike in April 2022, authorities said. On April 13, Victor Ogando-Marte was driving an illegal dirt bike on Route 22 along with 15 to 20 others, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office said. The dirt bikers were driving recklessly by weaving in and out of traffic, popping wheelies and obstructing the passage of other vehicles, authorities said. Officer James Kirchner attempted to apprehend Ogando-Marte near Rock Avenue, but he used his dirt bike to drag h…
Central Jersey Man Convicted Of Sexually, Physically Abusing Girl For 6+ Years: Prosecutors Central Jersey Man Convicted Of Sexually, Physically Abusing Girl For 6+ Years: Prosecutors
Central Jersey Man Convicted Of Sexually, Physically Abusing Girl For 6+ Years: Prosecutors A Marlboro Township man was convicted of sexually and physically abusing a girl for more than six years, authorities said. A jury found 51-year-old Andrey Penkin guilty of second-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, as well as two counts each of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced the conviction in a news release on Wednesday, Sept. 18. Investigators said Penkin started sexually abusing the girl in 2016 when he lived in Sayreville. The abuse continued when Penkin moved …
E-Bike Rider, 74, Killed Crossing Road On Central Jersey Path Identified E-Bike Rider, 74, Killed Crossing Road On Central Jersey Path Identified
E-Bike Rider, 74, Killed Crossing Road On Central Jersey Path Identified Authorities have identified the Marlboro Township man who was killed while riding an electronic bicycle. Guanglie Zhang, 74, died after the Monday, Sept. 9 crash, a Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday, Sept. 18. Marlboro police responded to School Road East near Buckley Road at around 9:43 a.m. Investigators said Zhang was crossing School Road East from the Henry Hudson Trail on a Class 1 e-bike when the collision happened. He was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center and pronounced dead on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The cause…
Atlantic City Mayor, Superintendent Indicted For Violent Abuse Of Daughter: Prosecutors Atlantic City Mayor, Superintendent Indicted For Violent Abuse Of Daughter: Prosecutors
Atlantic City Mayor, Superintendent Indicted For Violent Abuse Of Daughter: Prosecutors Atlantic City's mayor and schools superintendent were indicted after being accused of physically and emotionally abusing the couple's teen daughter, authorities said. A grand jury indicted Mayor Marty Small Sr., 50, and Dr. La'Quetta Small, 47, on Tuesday, Sept. 17, the Atlantic City Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. They were originally charged in the case on Monday, Apr. 15. Investigators said the couple violently abused their then-15-year-old daughter several times in December 2023 and January. In one incident, Mayor Small was accused of knocking her unconsc…
Taxi Driver's Body Found Near Dumpster In Central Jersey Motel Parking Lot: Prosecutors Taxi Driver's Body Found Near Dumpster In Central Jersey Motel Parking Lot: Prosecutors
Taxi Driver's Body Found Near Dumpster In Central Jersey Motel Parking Lot: Prosecutors A taxi driver from Eatontown was found shot dead outside a Hazlet motel, authorities said. Anthony Hill, 42, was found dead on Saturday, Sept. 14, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Wednesday, Sept. 18. Officers responded to an emergency medical call in the parking lot of Holly Hill Motel on Route 36 at around 7:18 a.m. Police found Hill with several gunshot wounds on the ground near a dumpster. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office is helping the Hazlet Police Department in the ongoing investigation. …
Man Who Was A Somerset Patriots Mascot Got Preteen Girl To Send Him Sexual Pics: Prosecutors Man Who Was A Somerset Patriots Mascot Got Preteen Girl To Send Him Sexual Pics: Prosecutors
Man Who Was A Somerset Patriots Mascot Got Preteen Girl To Send Him Sexual Pics: Prosecutors A New Jersey man who had been employed as a mascot for amusement parks and sports teams including Sesame Place is arrested on accusations he convinced a preteen girl to send him child pornography, authorities said. Don-Diego Parkman, 19, was arrested in mid-September, Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa Hilton said in a news release on Tuesday, Sept. 17. New Jersey investigators said they received a tip from police in Missouri in early September that the preteen was chatting with Parkman and he sent her sexual pictures. Parkman also told the girl to send him photos a…
Man Dies Following Police Encounter In Bayonne: AG Man Dies Following Police Encounter In Bayonne: AG
Man Dies Following Police Encounter In Bayonne: AG The New Jersey Attorney General's Office said it is investigating after a man died following an encounter with Bayonne police on the early morning of Monday, Sept. 16. At 12:18 a.m., police responded to an apartment building on Broadway after a 911 caller reported hearing a lot of screaming from the apartment, the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability said.  Officers approached the residence and heard yelling coming from the inside, authorities said. Officers encountered the man who had been yelling and requested medical assistance, authorities said. Police&…
Charges Filed Against Drunk, Speeding Teen In Crash That Killed Passenger In NJ: Prosecutor Charges Filed Against Drunk, Speeding Teen In Crash That Killed Passenger In NJ: Prosecutor
Charges Filed Against Drunk, Speeding Teen In Crash That Killed Passenger In NJ: Prosecutor A West Windsor teen has been accused of driving drunk and more than twice the speed limit in a crash that killed his passenger, authorities said. Rehan Jahangir, 18, was given four charges in the Tuesday, Aug. 20 crash, Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa Hilto said in a news release on Tuesday, Sept. 17.  Daniel Haas, 18, of Princeton Junction, died after the wreck on Lanwin Boulevard. West Windsor police responded to the scene near Providence Drive at around 3:49 a.m. Officers found a 2024 Tesla Model Y that crashed into a tree, causing significant damag…
10+ Years Of Raping Boys In PA, NJ Lands Man 11+ Years In Prison 10+ Years Of Raping Boys In PA, NJ Lands Man 11+ Years In Prison
10+ Years Of Raping Boys In PA, NJ Lands Man 11+ Years In Prison A Quakertown man who has admitted to raping multiple boys in Pennsylvania and New Jersey was sentenced by President Judge Raymond F. McHugh on Monday, Sept. 16.  Steven Craig Gorman, 57, pleaded guilty in three cases in June 2024, the Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn explained.  One case involved a 12-year-old boy in Pennsylvania in 2023; the other case involved abuse from the time a man was 13 until he was 20 years old in Richland Township and Lower Milford Township, Lehigh County, and at rental properties in New Jersey in January 2011 and until …
Contractor Behind Leaky, Moldy Jersey City Buildings Busted For Phony Insurance: Prosecutor Contractor Behind Leaky, Moldy Jersey City Buildings Busted For Phony Insurance: Prosecutor
Contractor Behind Leaky, Moldy Jersey City Buildings Busted For Phony Insurance: Prosecutor A 37-year-old North Jersey resident was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 12 and charged with theft and forgery on accusations he submitted a fake insurance certificate, authorities said. Prince Narang's company, Artisan Design and Construction, was hired to perform contract work on a residential building in Jersey City, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.  Narang, of Glen Ridge, submitted a bogus insurance certificate to the property owner and bank to obtain a construction contract, Suarez said.  The owner tried to file an insurance claim for property damag…
Motorcyclist, 47, Killed In Somerset County Crash: Prosecutor Motorcyclist, 47, Killed In Somerset County Crash: Prosecutor
Motorcyclist, 47, Killed In Somerset County Crash: Prosecutor A 47-year-old Montgomery resident, was killed in a motorcycle crash in Manville on Sunday, Sept. 15, authorities said. At 5:32 p.m., Manville police responded to South Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue and found a motorcyclist who had sustained critical injuries from a crash, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and Manville Borough Police Department Deputy Chief Craig Jeremiah said. The motorcyclist, whose name was not revealed, was transported to a local trauma hospital where he succumbed to his i…
Four Men Stole Millions In Seafood, Meat, Alcohol From Trucks On NJ Turnpike: Troopers Four Men Stole Millions In Seafood, Meat, Alcohol From Trucks On NJ Turnpike: Troopers
Four Men Stole Millions In Seafood, Meat, Alcohol From Trucks On NJ Turnpike: Troopers Four Philadelphia men were accused of stealing millions of dollars worth of food and alcohol over several years, authorities said. In a news release on Monday, Sept. 16, New Jersey State Police announced the arrests of 23-year-old Shaun Coleman, 37-year-old Salahudin Reddy, 31-year-old Hanif Tucker, and 26-year-old Rashan Clark-Reddy. They were charged after a two-month investigation into nine burglaries at New Jersey Turnpike service areas that troopers called "Operation Beef Bandit". Investigators said an organized criminal crew broke into parked and often occupie…
Jersey Shore Coach Who Sexually Abused Three Teen Gymnasts Indicted, Prosecutors Say Jersey Shore Coach Who Sexually Abused Three Teen Gymnasts Indicted, Prosecutors Say
Jersey Shore Coach Who Sexually Abused Three Teen Gymnasts Indicted, Prosecutors Say A former Monmouth County gymnastics was indicted after being accused of sexually abusing three teenage gymnasts, authorities said. A grand jury indicted 56-year-old Sasha Raught of Manchester Township, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Monday, Sept. 16. He was charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault and three counts of second-degree sexual assault in June 2023. Investigators said the first two teens were sexually assaulted when Raught coached at Shrewsbury Gymnastics in the early to mid-1990s. The third teen was abused in 2008 when R…
DUI Jersey Shore Driver Found With Cocaine, Bogus Passports In Traffic Stop: PD DUI Jersey Shore Driver Found With Cocaine, Bogus Passports In Traffic Stop: PD
DUI Jersey Shore Driver Found With Cocaine, Bogus Passports In Traffic Stop: PD More than $32,000 in cash, cocaine, fake European passports and more were seized from an intoxicated driver and his New York passenger in a motor vehicle stop over the weekend in Bergen County, NJ, police said. George Lenard, 23, of Morganville, NJ, was stopped on West Passaic Street by Rochelle Park Police Officer Chris Kiszka around 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, for erratic driving, RPPD Chief Dean Pinto said. Lenard quickly jumped into the backseat and pretended to be asleep, Pinto said. Meanwhile, the officer spotted open containers of alcohol in the center console, and Lenard ap…
Toms River Woman Sentenced In Roommate's Shower Rod, Tape Dispenser Killing: Prosecutors Toms River Woman Sentenced In Roommate's Shower Rod, Tape Dispenser Killing: Prosecutors
Toms River Woman Sentenced In Roommate's Shower Rod, Tape Dispenser Killing: Prosecutors A Toms River woman will spend at least eight years in prison after admitting to her role in the death of her roommate, a former Manchester High School janitor, authorities said. Mary Carbone, 60, was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 13 to ten years in state prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. She must serve eight-and-a-half years before she's eligible for parole under the No Early Release Act. Carbone pleaded guilty on Monday, July 8 to aggravated manslaughter. She had been indicted for murder in the death of 55-year-old Frank St…
Teen Shared Photos From Sea.Hear.Now Before Dying In Parkway Crash Alongside Parents Teen Shared Photos From Sea.Hear.Now Before Dying In Parkway Crash Alongside Parents
Teen Shared Photos From Sea.Hear.Now Before Dying In Parkway Crash Alongside Parents The deaths of a 17-year-old girl and her parents in a crash on the Garden State Parkway have left a Bergen County community reeling. UPDATE: Joint Services Set For Woodcliff Lake Family Killed In Garden State Parkway Crash David Dryerman, 54, Michele Dryerman, 54, and their daughter Brooke, of Woodcliff Lake were identified as the victims of the crash on the Garden State Parkway in Woodbridge just before midnight Saturday, Sept. 14. David and Michele also have a son, who survives them, loved ones said. Brooke was a senior at Pascack Hills High School, and shared photos to her Instagra…
NJ Man Posing As Walmart Worker Scams NY Woman, 69, Out Of $20K: Police NJ Man Posing As Walmart Worker Scams NY Woman, 69, Out Of $20K: Police
NJ Man Posing As Walmart Worker Scams NY Woman, 69, Out Of $20K: Police A phone call claiming to protect a Long Island resident's savings ended in a $20,000 scam carried out by a 51-year-old New Jersey man, according to authorities. The victim, a 69-year-old New Hyde Park woman, received the call from Tejas Kapur, of Carteret, who falsely identified himself as a Walmart employee, according to Nassau County Police. Kapur told the victim that there was fraudulent activity on her account and that her Social Security number was compromised, authorities said. Kapur then instructed the victim to move her money out of her bank account to protect it. On Monday,…
Officials ID Man, 39, Killed By Train In Monmouth County Officials ID Man, 39, Killed By Train In Monmouth County
Officials ID Man, 39, Killed By Train In Monmouth County Officials have identified the man struck and killed by an NJ Transit train on Saturday, Sept. 13 in Monmouth County. Anthony DePalma, 39, of Atlantic Highlands, was struck at the Monmouth Street crossing in Red Bank and involved North Jersey Coast Line train 7240, according to an NJ Transit spokesperson. The train left New York Penn Station at 12:07 p.m. and was scheduled to arrive at Long Branch at 1:38 p.m. The crash happened just after 1:30 p.m., Chartier said. No injuries were reported to the 600 passengers and crew on board the train. Service was briefly suspended. Cust…
Video Shows Arrest Of DUI Driver Who Rammed Luxury Car Into NJ Utility Pole, Fled Video Shows Arrest Of DUI Driver Who Rammed Luxury Car Into NJ Utility Pole, Fled
Video Shows Arrest Of DUI Driver Who Rammed Luxury Car Into NJ Utility Pole, Fled Newly released bodycam footage shows a July 2024 arrest of a DUI driver with a history of traffic offenses who fled the scene of a crash in Monmouth County. Transparency Bodycam published footage of the crash on July 22, involving a white 2017 Mercedes GLE that had struck a pole on Mitchell Place near Oakes Road in Little Silver. The driver was identified by Little Silver police as 42-year-old Melissa Diller, of Middletown, according to records published by The Mounmouth Journal. The footage from Officer Andrew White's body-worn camera shows him finding the SUV at the scene with airbag dep…
Boy Killed In Post-Scrimmage NJ Crash With Opposing Coach Identified (UPDATE) Boy Killed In Post-Scrimmage NJ Crash With Opposing Coach Identified (UPDATE)
Boy Killed In Post-Scrimmage NJ Crash With Opposing Coach Identified (Update) Football communities in South Jersey were left reeling following a post-scrimmage crash that left a coach and 9-year-old player dead on Thursday, Sept. 12. A GoFundMe campaign identifies the athlete killed as Easton Beisler, who played for Upper Township.  Vineland police previously said a boy identified only as E.B. was riding in an SUV that collided with motorcyclist Addiel Ortiz, 31, at Maple Avenue near Becker Drive at around 5:53 p.m., Vineland police said. Ortiz was riding a Honda CBR 1000 motorcycle east on Maple when the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse heading…
Post-Scrimmage Crash Kills Youth Football Coach, Opposing Player In Vineland Post-Scrimmage Crash Kills Youth Football Coach, Opposing Player In Vineland
Post-Scrimmage Crash Kills Youth Football Coach, Opposing Player In Vineland A youth football coach and a young player on an opposing team were killed in a crash in Vineland after a scrimmage on Thursday, Sept. 12, authorities said. UPDATE: Boy Killed In Post-Scrimmage NJ Crash With Opposing Coach Identified  Addiel Ortiz, 31, and a 9-year-old boy identified only as E.B. died in the crash on Maple Avenue near Becker Drive at around 5:53 p.m., Vineland police said. Investigators said Ortiz was riding a Honda CBR 1000 motorcycle east on Maple when a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse heading west on Maple turned left into the Joseph E. Romano Sports Complex.…
Toms River School's Music Teacher Shared, Received Child Porn: Prosecutors Toms River School's Music Teacher Shared, Received Child Porn: Prosecutors
Toms River School's Music Teacher Shared, Received Child Porn: Prosecutors A Toms River music teacher was accused of sharing child pornography online, authorities said. Christopher DeCesare, 31, of Matawan, was charged with second-degree distribution of child sexual abuse materials. Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced his arrest in a news release on Friday, Sept. 13. Investigators said DeCesare was distributing child porn to other users through social media and received it on a personal email account. The investigation started in July after a tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. DeCesare is …
Fugitive Sought In Jersey City Mom's Murder Arrested In Colombia: Prosecutor Fugitive Sought In Jersey City Mom's Murder Arrested In Colombia: Prosecutor
Fugitive Sought In Jersey City Mom's Murder Arrested In Colombia: Prosecutor A 28-year-old Jersey City man was extradited from Colombia to the United States on Wednesday, Sept. 11, and charged with murdering a woman in Kearny in 2023, authorities said. Leiner Miranda Lopez had previously been charged with killing Luz Hernandez, a 33-year-old Jersey City mom in February 2023, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Hernandez's body was discovered in a shallow grave in the area of Central Avenue and Third Street in Kearny, Suarez said. The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined her death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head and compressions to the …
E-Bike Rider Killed On Path While Crossing Central Jersey Road, Investigators Say E-Bike Rider Killed On Path While Crossing Central Jersey Road, Investigators Say
E-Bike Rider Killed On Path While Crossing Central Jersey Road, Investigators Say A man riding an electronic bicycle was killed while crossing a road in Marlboro, authorities said. The 74-year-old man died after the crash, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Thursday, Sept. 12. Marlboro police responded to School Road East near Buckley Road at around 9:43 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 9. Investigators said the man was crossing School Road East from the Henry Hudson Trail on a Class 1 e-bike when the collision happened. He was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center and pronounced dead on Tuesday, Sept.…
Atlantic City HS Principal Indicted In Mayor, Superintendent Child Abuse Cover-Up: Prosecutors Atlantic City HS Principal Indicted In Mayor, Superintendent Child Abuse Cover-Up: Prosecutors
Atlantic City HS Principal Indicted In Mayor, Superintendent Child Abuse Cover-Up: Prosecutors Atlantic City High School's principal was indicted after she was accused of covering up parental abuse claims by the daughter of the mayor and school superintendent, authorities said. A grand jury indicted 39-year-old Constance Days-Chapman of Atlantic City on Wednesday, Sept. 11, the Atlantic City Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. She was previously charged on Thursday, Mar. 28. Investigators said a then-15-year-old told Days-Chapman in December 2023 that she suffered from "continuous headaches" because she was hit by her parents at home. According to prosecutors, Days-Chapman d…
Naked Man Harassed Women, Touched Himself At NJ Apartment Complex, Police Say Naked Man Harassed Women, Touched Himself At NJ Apartment Complex, Police Say
Naked Man Harassed Women, Touched Himself At NJ Apartment Complex, Police Say Police were looking for a man who had been harassing women while naked in a South Brunswick apartment complex, authorities said. The South Brunswick Police Department said a man has been approaching women at least five times in the parking lot of the Royal Oaks & East Garden Apartment Homes since July. The only article of clothing the suspect wore was a ski mask. Investigators said the man goes up to the women and "aggressively manipulates his waist area." The man has also approached women on a nearby trail. While previous incidents have happened between 11 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., the mos…
Loaded Gun, High-Capacity Magazine Found On Unlicensed Route 17 Driver, Police Say Loaded Gun, High-Capacity Magazine Found On Unlicensed Route 17 Driver, Police Say
Loaded Gun, High-Capacity Magazine Found On Unlicensed Route 17 Driver, Police Say A motorist from North Carolina was found with a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine during a routine motor vehicle stop on Route 17 in Paramus this week, police said. Officer Cesar Hurtado stopped a gray 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe heading north near the Garden State Parkway for a traffic violation around 2:20 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti said. A registration check revealed that the registered owner had a revoked driving privilege, Guidetti said. Hurtado identified the driver as Shenita J. King, 38, of Rocky Mount, NC, who said the vehicle was not hers…