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North Plainfield, NJ

Video Shows DUI Flying Jeep Driver Chatting With Cops In Hospital Bed After Wild NJ Wreck Video Shows DUI Flying Jeep Driver Chatting With Cops In Hospital Bed After Wild NJ Wreck
Video Shows DUI Flying Jeep Driver Chatting With Cops In Hospital Bed After Wild NJ Wreck Newly released bodycam footage shows the arrest of a 39-year-old man who police say was intoxicated when he blew a stop sign and sent a Jeep Wrangler airborne and onto the back deck of a New Jersey homeowner. Video shared to YouTube by Transparency Bodycam this week shows the massive police and fire response in Holmdel on Aug. 31, caused by Anthony Hernandez, of North Plainfield. “I just feel below myself,” Hernandez told officers from the hospital (around the 2-hour mark in the video). "I'm just happy you’re okay," the officer responded, saying things could've been a lot worse given the n…
Man Admits To Vandalizing Rutgers Islamic Center On Muslim Holiday, Feds Say Man Admits To Vandalizing Rutgers Islamic Center On Muslim Holiday, Feds Say
Man Admits To Vandalizing Rutgers Islamic Center On Muslim Holiday, Feds Say A North Plainfield man admitted to trashing an Islamic center at Rutgers University-New Brunswick during an important Muslim holiday, authorities said. Jacob Beacher, 24, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Oct. 9 to damage to religious property, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. According to court documents and statements, Beacher broke into the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University (CILRU) at around 2:41 a.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 10. That day was Eid-al-Fitr, a holy celebration for Muslims at the end of Ramadan. Prosecutors said Beacher caused m…
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…
Woman Fatally Struck By Vehicle In North Plainfield: Police Woman Fatally Struck By Vehicle In North Plainfield: Police
Woman Fatally Struck By Vehicle In North Plainfield: Police A woman was killed after she was struck by a vehicle in North Plainfield on the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 4, authorities said. At 9:06 p.m., officers responded to a report of a woman struck by a vehicle while crossing Norwood Avenue near Manning Avenue, North Plainfield police said. The driver of the vehicle, which was heading northbound on Norwood Avenue before striking the victim, remained at the scene, police said.  The victim, a North Plainfield resident, was transported to RWJ New Brunswick Hospital by first responders where she was pronounced dead on Thursday, Sept. 5. An…
Kids Sexually Assaulted In NJ Church Bathroom, Police Say Kids Sexually Assaulted In NJ Church Bathroom, Police Say
Kids Sexually Assaulted In NJ Church Bathroom, Police Say A 68-year-old Plainfield man has been charged with sexually assaulting two minors in a church in North Plainfield last month, authorities said. On Sunday, June 23, at 4:38 p.m., police responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting a sexual assault of a minor earlier that day, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and North Plainfield Chief of Police William Parenti said.  Pierre Joseph, the suspect, was detained at the church while they awaited police, authorities said While Joseph was transported for questi…
NJ Man, 62, Busted On Child Porn Charges, Prosecutor Says NJ Man, 62, Busted On Child Porn Charges, Prosecutor Says
NJ Man, 62, Busted On Child Porn Charges, Prosecutor Says A 62-year-old Somerset County man has been arrested on child porn charges, authorities said. George Wohar, Jr., of North Plainfield, became the center of an investigation following a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said. An investigation initiated by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations/Computer Crimes Unit confirmed that various electronic service providers containing numerous images of child pornography were all associated with George Wohar, Jr., McDonald said…
Two Men Broke Into Several Gas Stations To Swipe Vape Products: Somerset County Prosecutor Two Men Broke Into Several Gas Stations To Swipe Vape Products: Somerset County Prosecutor
Two Men Broke Into Several Gas Stations To Swipe Vape Products: Somerset County Prosecutor Two South Plainfield men were recently arrested and charged with burglarizing several gas stations on Route 22 in Somerset County in May, authorities said. On Thursday, May 2, at 3:16 a.m., Macario Wilchez, a 20-year-old South Plainfield resident wearing a hoodie, face mask and glove broke the glass in the front door of a gas station to gain entry and stole numerous vape products before fleeing the area, Somerset Prosecutor John McDonald said.  On Saturday, May 4, at 1:10 a.m., the gas station was burglarized again by Wilchez who broke the glass door to enter and stole vape products be…
17 Arrested, Six Wanted In Massive NJ Fentanyl Mill, Drug-Dealing Operation: Prosecutors 17 Arrested, Six Wanted In Massive NJ Fentanyl Mill, Drug-Dealing Operation: Prosecutors
17 Arrested, Six Wanted In Massive NJ Fentanyl Mill, Drug-Dealing Operation: Prosecutors Seventeen people were arrested and six more were wanted in a large drug-dealing operation throughout Monmouth County, authorities said. An eight-month investigation seized hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of drugs that were funneled from Passaic and Somerset counties, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Monday, June 24. "The arrests and seizures being announced today mark the end result of a herculean investigative effort involving innumerable moving parts, all seamlessly coordinated with the help of more than two dozen other law enforcement agencies,…
Firefighters Battle 3-Alarm Blaze In Middlesex County Firefighters Battle 3-Alarm Blaze In Middlesex County
3-Alarm Fire Destroys 2 Homes In Middlesex Two homes were heavily damaged by a three-alarm fire that started in a garage in Middlesex Borough, authorities said. On Friday, June 14, at 2:40 a.m., the Middlesex Borough Police Department responded to a report of a structure fire at 832 West Second Street.  Officers arrived on scene and confirmed that a garage was fully engulfed in flames. Prior to the fire spreading to 836 West Second Street, officers were able to safely evacuate the occupants of both residences, Middlesex police said. The Middlesex Fire Department, assisted by firefighters and equipment …
PA Man Extradited For 2023 Armed Robbery Of North Plainfield Gas Station PA Man Extradited For 2023 Armed Robbery Of North Plainfield Gas Station
PA Man Extradited For 2023 Armed Robbery Of North Plainfield Gas Station A 27-year-old Allentown, PA man was arrested and charged with a 2023 armed robbery in North Plainfield, NJ, authorities said. On Sept. 30, 2023, at 4:50 a.m., police in North Plainfield responded to a gas station at Route 22 for an armed robbery, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald said. The gas station attendant told police that an unknown male, later identified as Elijah Nunnally, pulled into the station and asked him to fill the tank, authorities said.  Nunnally then got out of his vehicle and pointed a handgun at the attendant, demanding money, before leaving with the ca…
Metalworker Killed In Forklift Accident In Central Jersey: Police Metalworker Killed In Forklift Accident In Central Jersey: Police
Metalworker Killed In Forklift Accident In Central Jersey: Police A 46-year-old metalworker from Central Jersey was killed in a forklift accident, authorities said. Jimmy Fernando Parrales Mora, of North Plainfield, was killed in the accident at Diamond Brite Metals, 333 Cedar Ave. in Middlesex, according to borough police. The accident occurred at about 7:20 a.m. on Tuesday, June 11.  It was determined that a metal beam fell and struck Parrales Mora while he was working, police said. Parrales Mora was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. OSHA is investigating.
Feds: Nine Sex, Money, Murder Members Nabbed With Fentanyl, Coke, More At Open-Air Drug Market Feds: Nine Sex, Money, Murder Members Nabbed With Fentanyl, Coke, More At Open-Air Drug Market
Feds: Nine Sex, Money, Murder Members Nabbed With Fentanyl, Coke, More At Open-Air Drug Market Nine reputed members and associates of the Sex, Money, Murder street gang were charged by Homeland Security agents in New Jersey with peddling fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine at an open-air drug market. Working with local law enforcers, agents with HSI Investigations Newark homed in on a neighborhood on West 3rd Street in Plainfield where the subset of the Bloods controlled the drug trade, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said. For months, they witnessed and recorded sales, conducted undercover buys -- some by confidential informants -- and analyzed phone records, the U.S. attorney said. …
GOTCHA! Federal, State Team Seize Local Man, 24, In Rutgers Islamic Center Vandalism GOTCHA! Federal, State Team Seize Local Man, 24, In Rutgers Islamic Center Vandalism
Rutgers Islamic Center Vandalism Islamophobia Jacob Beacher UPDATE: An elite law enforcement team captured a 24-year-old local man on Monday who authorities said broke in and trashed the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University in New Brunswick earlier this month. Jacob Beacher was due for an initial afternoon appearance on federal hate crime charges in U.S. District Court in Newark on April 22. Beacher broke into the CILRU shortly after 2:30 a.m. April 10 and did an estimated $40,000 worth of damage, state and federal authorities said. It was during the Eid-al-Fitr -- the Islamic holiday commemorating the end of sunrise-to-dusk fasting during…
Person Fatally Struck By Vehicle Moments After Hitting Pedestrian: North Plainfield PD Person Fatally Struck By Vehicle Moments After Hitting Pedestrian: North Plainfield PD
Person Fatally Struck By Vehicle Moments After Hitting Pedestrian: North Plainfield PD A 57-year old Plainfield man was fatally struck by a car as he was checking on a pedestrian he hit with his vehicle near Costco in North Plainfield on Thursday, April 4, authorities said. At 11:37 p.m. police responded to Route 22 East and discovered two motor vehicle crashes had taken place, North Plainfield Police Chief William Parenti said. Danti Bryant had just struck a 31-year-old North Plainfield woman who was injured and lying in the roadway, Parenti said. As Bryant exited his vehicle to investigate what he had struck, he was struck by another vehicle that swerved to avoid hitting the…
Three Burglars Break Into Dispensary, Take $1,200: North Plainfield PD Three Burglars Break Into Dispensary, Take $1,200: North Plainfield PD
Three Burglars Break Into Dispensary, Take $1,200: North Plainfield PD Three burglars broke into a dispensary in North Plainfield just after midnight on Wednesday, Jan. 3, taking more than $1,200 in cash, authorities said. At 12:58 a.m., the three unknown suspects, wearing all black clothing, broke into Cloud 9 Dispensary at 513 Route 22 West by shattering the side window, police said. The suspects ransacked the cash registers, taking the money, before fleeing on foot, police said. The suspects remain at large, police said as they continue to investigate. 
Beloved Somerset County Dad Dies After 10-Year Battle With Kidney Disease Beloved Somerset County Dad Dies After 10-Year Battle With Kidney Disease
Beloved Somerset County Dad Dies After 10-Year Battle With Kidney Disease Support is on the rise for a Somerset County family mourning the loss of a devoted dad after a 10-year battle with kidney disease. David Betancourt died surrounded by his beloved family at RJW Somerset on Monday, Nov. 6, his obituary says. He was 69. Born and raised in Agua Caliente, Guatemala, David lived in Plainfield, Somerville, and California before settling in North Plainfield in 2007. He was a member of the army in Guatemala before arriving in the United States in the 1980s, his memorial says. Described as a “man of all trades,” David loved soccer, especially watching the World Cu…
Star Of HBO's 'Telemarketers' Pat Pespas Found Safe After Missing For Month Across NJ, PA Star Of HBO's 'Telemarketers' Pat Pespas Found Safe After Missing For Month Across NJ, PA
Star Of HBO's 'Telemarketers' Pat Pespas Found Safe After Missing For Month Across NJ, PA Patrick J. Pespas, who starred in HBO's "Telemarketers," has been found safe. Pespas, 55, of Phillipsburg, has been found safe and was home with his wife, Sue, directors Sam Lipman-Stern and Adam Bhala Lough said on Pespas' Instagram account Friday, Oct. 27. Pespas had been missing since Sept. 29, when he was seen in Easton, PA, and later at a bar in the Pittsburg area. Pespas, formerly of North Plainfield and Plainfield, NJ, has been living with his wife in Easton, PA.  He teamed up with Lipman-Stern to create the three-part HBO mini docu-series "Telemarketers," which shined a …
Prosecutor Details Sneaky Upskirt Tactics Utilized By NJ Sunoco Station Cashier For Months Prosecutor Details Sneaky Upskirt Tactics Utilized By NJ Sunoco Station Cashier For Months
Prosecutor Details Sneaky Upskirt Tactics Utilized By NJ Sunoco Station Cashier For Months A cashier at a Sunoco station has been arrested for taking multiple upskirt photos of women while at work over the course of nearly two years, authorities in Somerset County said. Miguel A. Melchor-Gomez, 54, of North Plainfield, who worked at the Sunoco station on Stirling Road in Watchung, filmed underneath his unsuspecting victims' clothing in one of two ways from December 2021 to Aug. 19, 2023, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald. said. Melchor-Gomez either pretended that the credit card machine malfunctioned and directed his victims to the counter where he would stand clos…
Somerset Fugitive Charged With Attempted Murder Caught In PA: Prosecutors Somerset Fugitive Charged With Attempted Murder Caught In PA: Prosecutors
Somerset Fugitive Charged With Attempted Murder Caught In PA: Prosecutors A Somerset County man accused of five counts of attempted homicide was arrested in Easton, Pennsylvania last week, according to authorities.  Cristobal Avila, 32, of Plainfield, is also charged with unlawful weapon possession related to an April 2021 incident in North Plainfield, said the Prosecutor's Office. He was arrested by Easton police on Saturday, Sept. 30 and will be returned to New Jersey pending extradition and prosecution of other charges in Pennsylvania, officials said.  Avila was Somerset County's fugitive of the month in September, they noted.  Details of his …
NJ's Patrick J. Pespas, Star Of HBO's 'Telemarketers' Reported Missing NJ's Patrick J. Pespas, Star Of HBO's 'Telemarketers' Reported Missing
NJ's Patrick J. Pespas, Star Of HBO's 'Telemarketers' Reported Missing Patrick J. Pespas, who starred in HBO's "Telemarketers," has been missing for days, those who know him say. Pespas, 55, of Phillipsburg, was last seen in the Easton, PA area around 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29, according to directors Sam Lipman-Stern and Adam Bhala Lough Pespas, formerly of North Plainfield and Plainfield, teamed up with Lipman-Stern to create the three-part HBO mini docu-series "Telemarketers," which shined a light on the truth about the telemarketing industry. It premiered in August. Bhala Lough said on Sunday, Oct. 1 Pespas may have been spotted at a bar in Pittsburgh. …
Former Employees Forged Over $65K In Checks From Somerset County Contracting Firm: Prosecutor Former Employees Forged Over $65K In Checks From Somerset County Contracting Firm: Prosecutor
Former Employees Forged Over $65K In Checks From Somerset County Contracting Firm: Prosecutor Two former workers at a contracting firm in Somerset County were arrested for allegedly forging checks from their employer and making more than $65,000 in unauthorized purchases. Carlos R. Escobar, 38, of Jefferson Avenue in North Plainfield, and Ciro A. Saenz-Puentes, 44, of Remson Avenue in New Brunswick, were each charged with theft by deception, forgery, and uttering a false document, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said in a release on Monday, Sept. 25. Escobar and Saenz-Puentes became the center of an investigation when the owner of the contracting company they were former…
2 Injured, 1 Critically, In Somerset County Fire: Prosecutor 2 Injured, 1 Critically, In Somerset County Fire: Prosecutor
2 Injured, 1 Critically, In Somerset County Fire: Prosecutor Authorities are investigating the cause of a Somerset County fire that hurt two residents, one critically. The blaze broke out at a home on Mountain Avenue in North Plainfield around 3:10 a.m. Sunday, June 4, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said alongside local Police Chief William Parenti. Two men were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, where one of them remained in critical condition, McDonald said. The cause of the fire was being investigated but did not seem suspicious, the prosecutor added. Assisting agencies include fire crews in Bridgewater/Finderne, Bound Brook,…
These NJ Schools Are Closed, Delayed Due To Snow Tuesday, Feb. 28 These NJ Schools Are Closed, Delayed Due To Snow Tuesday, Feb. 28
These NJ Schools Are Closed, Delayed Due To Snow Tuesday, Feb. 28 The first winter storm of the season is causing a change in plans for New Jersey schools on Tuesday, Feb. 28. Some districts have delayed openings while others are closed completely. Here's a list of which school are closed or delayed for Tuesday, Feb. 28. Check your school/district's website for details. Bedminster: 10: 50 a.m. start Bellville: Delayed Bergen County Tech: Closed Bergenfield: 2-hour delay Bernards: 2-hour delay Bloomfield: Delay Bloomingdale: Closed Bogota: Delayed Butler: Closed Cliffside Park: 10 a.m. start Clifton: Delayed Closter: Delayed Cresskill: Delayed Demarest: …
Reward Offered In Hit-Run That Left Halloween Trick-Or-Treaters Seriously Hurt Reward Offered In Hit-Run That Left Halloween Trick-Or-Treaters Seriously Hurt
Reward Offered In Hit-Run That Left Halloween Trick-Or-Treaters Seriously Hurt Authorities in North Plainfield are offering a $1,000 reward for a hit-and-run crash that occurred on Halloween night that left two pedestrians seriously injured. The cash will be given to anyone who has information leading to an arrest for the person responsible for hitting the 7-year-old boy and 21-year-old woman at Mountain Avenue and Jeffries Place around 6:20 p.m., Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said. Both victims were transported to an area trauma center for serious non-life-threatening injuries. Detectives from the North Plainfield Police Department Detective Burea…
NJ Man Who Sexually Assaulted 9-Year-Old Captured Trying To Board Flight: Prosecutor NJ Man Who Sexually Assaulted 9-Year-Old Captured Trying To Board Flight: Prosecutor
NJ Man Who Sexually Assaulted 9-Year-Old Captured Trying To Board Flight: Prosecutor A 39-year-old Somerset County man was arrested for sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl while boarding a flight from Chicago to Utah, authorities said. The alleged victim told a detective with the prosecutor's office that she had been sexually assaulted by Fabian Osuna-Vargas on Oct. 19 in North Plainfield, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said. Two days later, Osuna-Vargas was getting on a flight from Chicago, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah on Oct. 21 when he was captured, McDonald said. He was charged with aggravated sex assault and child endangerment. Osuna-Varga…
Child, Adult Pedestrians Seriously Hurt In Halloween Hit-Run: Police Child, Adult Pedestrians Seriously Hurt In Halloween Hit-Run: Police
Child, Adult Pedestrians Seriously Hurt In Halloween Hit-Run: Police A child and adult were hospitalized with serious injuries in a Halloween Night hit-and-run in North Plainfield, authorities said. The 7-year-old boy and 21-year-old woman were struck on Mountain Road and Jeffery Street just after 6:22 p.m., Police Capt. Alan McKay said. Both were taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, where one victim was admitted, McKay said. Witnesses described the suspect vehicle as a gold or black sedan.
MURDER: Pair Charged In Fatal Jersey City Shooting MURDER: Pair Charged In Fatal Jersey City Shooting
Murder: Pair Charged In Fatal Jersey City Shooting A pair of men have been charged with murder in a Jersey City shooting that left one man dead in June, authorities announced. Quadre Domnie, 21, of Jersey City, and Jekhi Wade, 19, of North Plainfield, are responsible for killing Kyle Howard, 34, of Newark, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Domnie and Wade shot Howard around 11:15 p.m. on Forrest Street and MLK Drive on Sunday, June 12, Suarez said. Howard was rushed to the hospital in a private car and later died. Both were arrested without incident on Monday, July 25, 2022 near Cator and Rose avenues in Jersey City. Domnie and …
Man Shot At NJ House Party Man Shot At NJ House Party
Man Shot At NJ House Party A 20-year-old New Jersey man was shot during a house party Friday, July 8, authorities said. The victim was one of the dozens of guests at a party somewhere near Arnold Avenue when authorities found him at Vermeule Park in North Plainfield suffering a gunshot wound to his upper body around 10:45 p.m., Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said. Officers and responding Emergency Medical Personnel tended to the shooting victim who was treated at an undisclosed area hospital for a non-life threatening gunshot wound. Authorities are attempting to determine the motive for the shootin…
Warehouse Construction Begins At Huge Industrial Park In Central Jersey Warehouse Construction Begins At Huge Industrial Park In Central Jersey
Warehouse Construction Begins At Huge Industrial Park In Central Jersey Construction has begun on a large state-of-the-art warehouse in Middlesex County. The 30,000-square-foot building will be located at Rutgers Industrial Center in Piscataway, according to its developer, Levin Management Construction. (LMC) The Class A warehouse facility, at 101 Circle Drive North, is slated to open this summer. LMC serves as asset manager for Rutgers Industrial Center, a five-building, 493,000-square-foot industrial/warehouse complex situated in the heart of the I-287 industrial corridor.  The Middlesex County complex is well-situated just one-half mile off Exit 8 of…
US Marshals Nab 3rd Suspect From NJ Murder Case In North Carolina, Prosecutor Says US Marshals Nab 3rd Suspect From NJ Murder Case In North Carolina, Prosecutor Says
US Marshals Nab 3rd Suspect From NJ Murder Case In North Carolina, Prosecutor Says A third suspect wanted in a New Jersey murder case was nabbed by US Marshals agents in North Carolina, authorities said. Jose Branch, of Plainfield, was tracked down in Raleigh in connection with the March 1 shooting death of Steve Camino in North Plainfield, Acting Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart said. He was charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit murder and extradited from North Carolina to Somerset County on Tuesday, April 19, Taggart said. Branch was jailed pending a detention hearing. Kenneth Hill, 21 of Plainfield, and Daniel Carrera-Cardona, 22, of Piscataway, wer…
2 Nabbed In Deadly Shooting Of Somerset County Man, Prosecutor Says 2 Nabbed In Deadly Shooting Of Somerset County Man, Prosecutor Says
2 Nabbed In Deadly Shooting Of Somerset County Man, Prosecutor Says Two suspects have been charged in connection with the deadly shooting of a Somerset County man earlier this month, authorities said. Kenneth Hill, of Plainfield, and Daniel Carrera Cardona, of Piscataway, are charged with first-degree murder and other offenses in the homicide of Steve J. Camino, 26, of North Plainfield, Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Thomas Chirichella said alongside other county officials. Camino was found wounded as officers responded to the shooting report near Grove Street and Prospect Place in North Plainfield just after 9:35 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1, Chir…