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Police & Fire
Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say
Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say A boy was airlifted to a hospital after officials say he stepped on hot coals that had been illegally dumped on a New Jersey beach. Paramedics and EMTs from Sea Bright and Robert Wood Johnson were called to Sandy Hook near Guardian Park, where they found the boy with burns to both feet around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, Gateway National Recreation Area spokeswoman Daphne Yun said. Witnesses said the child had stepped on hot coals that had been illegally dumped between rocks in the area, Yun said. The child was flown by Hackensack Meridian to a local burn center, and the area wher…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Man Killed Former HS Soccer Player In Central Jersey Hit-And-Run, Prosecutors Say Man Killed Former HS Soccer Player In Central Jersey Hit-And-Run, Prosecutors Say
Man Killed Former HS Soccer Player In Central Jersey Hit-And-Run, Prosecutors Say A Red Bank man was accused of killing a pedestrian and leaving the scene of a crash in Shrewsbury, authorities said. Jose Rodriguez-Jimenez, 40, was charged with second-degree knowingly leaving the scene of an accident under certain circumstances, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Friday, Aug. 23. The charge came after 23-year-old Mariano Codallos-Tepepa of Brick Township died in a crash on Monday, Aug. 5. Shrewsbury police responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive male lying in the right northbound lane of Shrewsbury Avenue just after 2:45 a.m. Codal…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Bodycam Footage Sheds Light On Surfer's Arrest At NJ Beach (UPDATE) Bodycam Footage Sheds Light On Surfer's Arrest At NJ Beach (UPDATE)
Bodycam Footage Sheds Light On Surfer's Arrest At NJ Beach (Update) Police in one New Jersey beach town have released bodycam footage showing the arrest of a 28-year-old California surfer, which went viral on Facebook earlier this week. Belmar Police Chief Tina Scott released the 6-minute video of Liam Mahoney's arrest captured on Officer Braswell's body-worn camera on Tuesday, Aug. 20. Scott said police had received multiple complaints regarding surfers illegally entering the beach across the dunes throughout the week.  The gate attendants requested these surfers to show their beach badge, however, their requests went ignored, the chief said.&nb…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Widow Who Killed Husband Gets 6 Years In NJ State Prison Widow Who Killed Husband Gets 6 Years In NJ State Prison
Widow Who Killed Husband Gets 6 Years In NJ State Prison A Mays Landing woman will spend more than half a decade in prison after admitting to killing her husband during an argument in their home on Christmas night, authorities said. Marylue Wigglesworth, 53, was sentenced on Tuesday, Aug. 20 to six years in state prison, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release on Thursday, Aug. 22. She pleaded guilty on Tuesday, June 4 to second-degree manslaughter in the shooting death of 57-year-old David Wigglesworth. Hamilton Township police found David Wigglesworth with a gunshot wound at the home on the 5200 b…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Central Jersey Man Dies While Walking Across Road With Dog, Police Say Central Jersey Man Dies While Walking Across Road With Dog, Police Say
Central Jersey Man Dies While Walking Across Road With Dog, Police Say A Mercer County man was killed while walking his dog and crossing a road in Hamilton Township, authorities said. Mohamed Ahmed, 63, of Hamilton, died in the crash on Wednesday, Aug. 21, the township's police division said in a news release. The crash happened on Hamilton Avenue near the intersection with Donald Drive at around 4:10 p.m. Investigators said Ahmed was walking with his dog on the west side of Hamilton Avenue when they tried to cross the road "from a mid-block location." Ahmed stepped into the westbound lane and was hit by an oncoming 2002 Chrysler Town & Country m…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Man, 30, Charged With Killing Dog In Hunterdon County: Prosecutor Man, 30, Charged With Killing Dog In Hunterdon County: Prosecutor
Man, 30, Charged With Killing Dog In Hunterdon County: Prosecutor A 30-year-old Hunterdon County man was arrested and charged after he fatally shot a pit bull on Monday, Aug. 12, authorities said. At 1:30 p.m., officers responded to Flemington Whitehouse Road in Readington Township on a report of a homeowner discharging a weapon, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office and Readington Township Police Department said. The owner of the property reported a pit bull began attacking another dog and the pit bull was being aggressive toward her, authorities said. Craig Cooke, who was with the woman, then shot the pit bull, resulting in the pit bull's death, auth…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
'Heartless And Despicable': NJ Broker Who Scammed $3.7M From Gold Star Families Sentenced 'Heartless And Despicable': NJ Broker Who Scammed $3.7M From Gold Star Families Sentenced
'Heartless And Despicable': NJ Broker Who Scammed $3.7M From Gold Star Families Sentenced A former Army financial counselor from Colts Neck will spend more than a decade in prison after admitting to scamming Gold Star families out of more than $3 million, authorities said. Caz Craffy, 42, was sentenced on Wednesday, Aug. 21 to 12 years and seven months in prison, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. He pleaded guilty to 10 charges on Tuesday, Apr. 16. Craffy, who's also known as "Carz Craffey," had been a major in the U.S. Army Reserve since 2003. His Army affiliation was terminated in January 2023, according to military records. Ac…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
NJ Firefighter Severely Injured In Crash Day Before Father's Greek Burial NJ Firefighter Severely Injured In Crash Day Before Father's Greek Burial
NJ Firefighter Severely Injured In Crash Day Before Father's Greek Burial Support is on the rise for a New Jersey firefighter who was severely injured in a car crash the night before he was set his father's burial in Greece. Anthony Zougras, a Martinsville firefighter, was in the crash on Wednesday, Aug. 7, according to a GoFundMe set up to support his medical expenses. Zougras' father, Dionysios, had died unexpectedly on Sunday, July 21 and it was his wish to be buried in his hometown of Zakynthos, Greece, according to the fundraiser. Zougras requires facial reconstructive surgery and does not have medical insurance to cover the procedure and medical care …

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Video Showing Arrest Of Surfer From California At NJ Beach Under Review Video Showing Arrest Of Surfer From California At NJ Beach Under Review
Video Showing Arrest Of Surfer From California At NJ Beach Under Review A video showing the arrest of a 28-year-old surfer from California in New Jersey apparently over failure to possess a beach badge is under review, authorities said. Video taken Tuesday, Aug. 20, and shared to Facebook by Austin Downs, shows officers arresting Liam Mahoney of Junction City, CA, in Belmar. Mahoney and a female friend can be heard arguing over a beach badge with officers, who restrain him. At one point, Mahoney appears to try to swat one of the officers away, and a struggle ensues. The officers end up tackling Mahoney down to the sand as young children look on. Mah…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Man Sentenced To 90 Years For Killing Highland Park Father With Baseball Bat: Prosecutors Man Sentenced To 90 Years For Killing Highland Park Father With Baseball Bat: Prosecutors
Man Sentenced To 90 Years For Killing Highland Park Father With Baseball Bat: Prosecutors A man will likely spend the rest of his life in prison after beating a Highland Park man to death with a baseball bat in Burlington County, authorities said. Larry Brown, 29, was sentenced on Tuesday, Aug. 20 to 90 years in prison, Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw said in a news release. A jury found him guilty in March of a dozen charges including first-degree murder. Brown was convicted of killing 34-year-old Cecilio Luciano inside a home on Bentley Avenue in Beverly City. Officers responded to the house at around 1:15 a.m. on Tuesday, June 14, 20…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Sayreville Man, 22, Killed In Shooting, Police Searching For Suspect: Prosecutors Sayreville Man, 22, Killed In Shooting, Police Searching For Suspect: Prosecutors
Sayreville Man, 22, Killed In Shooting, Police Searching For Suspect: Prosecutors Police were looking for whoever shot and killed a Sayreville man, authorities said. Jeremiah Brown, 22, died in the shooting in Sayreville on Tuesday, Aug. 20, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said in a news release.  Officers responded to a 911 call about the shooting on Swider Drive at around 9:49 p.m. Police found Brown with a gunshot wound and he was pronounced dead at the scene.  No arrests have been made in the shooting as of press time. Anyone with information or surveillance video that could help investigators should call the Middlesex…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Plainsboro Man Sexually Assaulted Two Children, Uploaded Pics On Dark Web: Feds Plainsboro Man Sexually Assaulted Two Children, Uploaded Pics On Dark Web: Feds
Plainsboro Man Sexually Assaulted Two Children, Uploaded Pics On Dark Web: Feds A Plainsboro man was accused of sexually assaulting two children and uploading pictures of the abuse on the dark web, authorities said. Anthony Lagotta Jr., 54, was charged with one count each of production and possession of child pornography, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release on Tuesday, Aug. 20. He appeared in front of a federal judge and was detained. According to court documents and statements, Lagotta sexually assaulted two children and took photos of what happened about 15 years ago. He then uploaded 30 of the pictures to a child po…

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by Chris Spiker