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Ocean County, NJ

Campfire Accidentally Sparked Huge Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood: Investigators Campfire Accidentally Sparked Huge Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood: Investigators
Campfire Accidentally Sparked Huge Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood: Investigators An illegal and abandoned campfire started a massive wildfire that burned for three days in Ocean County, authorities said. Investigators determined the wildfire was accidentally started by "an unknown person(s) improperly extinguishing a campfire," Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The roughly 189-acre wildfire burned near Fishers Pit, a sand and gravel pit in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township. In its final update, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said the wildfire was 100 percent contained a…
Smoke Diminshes As Crews Begin Containing Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood (UPDATE) Smoke Diminshes As Crews Begin Containing Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood (UPDATE)
Smoke Diminshes As Crews Begin Containing Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood (Update) Smoke has diminished as a massive wildfire burned for a second day in Ocean County, officials said. The fire was first spotted at the Cedar Bridge fire tower at 4:44 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 9, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said in an update. The roughly 189-acre wildfire was burning near Fishers Pit, a sand and gravel pit in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township. Conditions have improved after "erratic fire behavior" caused problems for the first firefighters at the scene. "Fire crews continue to secure and reinforce containment lines by mopping up hot …
Crews Battle 150-Acre Wildfire Across Ocean County (DEVELOPING) Crews Battle 150-Acre Wildfire Across Ocean County (DEVELOPING)
Crews Battle 150-Acre Wildfire Across Ocean County (Developing) Firefighters were battling a massive wildfire in Ocean County that broke out late Monday, Sept. 9, officials said. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service said the fire was burning near Fishers Pit, a sand and gravel pit in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township. The NJFFS first posted on Twitter about the wildfire at 7:30 p.m. Monday. As of Tuesday morning, the fire had been 20 percent contained to 150 acres, after spreading near Northern Boulevard in the Barnegat Pines neighborhood of Berkeley. "When firefighters arrived on scene initial attack efforts were unsuccessful due to erratic…
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…
Four-Year-Old Pulled From Jersey Shore Pool Dies On Labor Day, Investigators Say Four-Year-Old Pulled From Jersey Shore Pool Dies On Labor Day, Investigators Say
Four-Year-Old Pulled From Jersey Shore Pool Dies On Labor Day, Investigators Say A young boy died on Labor Day after he was pulled from an Ocean County swimming pool a few days earlier, authorities said. The four-year-old was pronounced dead at Jersey Shore University Medical Center on Monday, Sept. 2, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Berkeley Township police responded to "an accidental submersion" at a home in South Seaside Park at around 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30. Paramedics performed CPR on the boy before he was rushed to the Neptune hospital.  The boy was originally listed in critical but stable…
Jersey Shore Boater Struck By Propeller, Sucked Under Water: Police Jersey Shore Boater Struck By Propeller, Sucked Under Water: Police
Jersey Shore Boater Struck By Propeller, Sucked Under Water: Police A 59-year-old boater was hospitalized after being struck by the propeller of a boat after being ejected from his own and sucked under water in Ocean County over Labor Day Weekend, police said. The Neshanic Station man was heading east on Manahawkin Bay in Long Beach on a personal watercraft when his boat was struck by a 28-foot vessel heading north around 4:35 p.m., New Jersey State Police Sgt. Charles Marchan said. The boater was ejected from his boat upon impact and sucked underwater by the other vessel’s propulsion. The propellers of the vessel then struck the man, who was hospitali…
Boy, 4, Critical After Near-Drowning In Jersey Shore Swimming Pool: Police Boy, 4, Critical After Near-Drowning In Jersey Shore Swimming Pool: Police
Boy, 4, Critical After Near-Drowning In Jersey Shore Swimming Pool: Police A 4-year-old boy was in critical but stable condition after nearly drowning in a Jersey Shore swimming pool Friday, Aug. 30, authorities said. Berkeley Township Police responded to a home in South Seaside Park on a report that a boy had been removed from a swimming pool and found to unresponsive around 3:30 p.m., Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. Emergency life-saving techniques were performed on the child. He was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he is listed in critical but stable condition. The incident is under investigation by the Oce…
Bridge Over Manasquan River In South Jersey Closed For Emergency Repairs Bridge Over Manasquan River In South Jersey Closed For Emergency Repairs
Bridge Over Manasquan River In South Jersey Closed For Emergency Repairs A bridge connecting Monmouth and Ocean counties was closed after inspectors discovered it needed emergency repairs, officials said. The bridge on Allenwood-Lakewood Road over the Manasquan River in Wall Township was shut down to traffic on Thursday, Aug. 29, according to a Monmouth County news release. Bridge W-3 is located near Robert L. Brice Memorial Park and about a half-mile south of Atlantic Avenue in Allenwood. The county said a routine inspection uncovered problems with the bridge deck and engineers are evaluating how to quickly and safely reopen it. "Monmouth County is c…
Jersey Shore Man Who Had 157 Cats At Home Indicted, Prosecutors Say Jersey Shore Man Who Had 157 Cats At Home Indicted, Prosecutors Say
Jersey Shore Man Who Had 157 Cats At Home Indicted, Prosecutors Say A Brick Township man was indicted after more than 150 cats were found in his home, authorities said. A grand jury indicted 56-year-old Jeffrey Finlay on Wednesday, Aug. 28 for 149 counts of animal cruelty, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Finlay called Brick police to help remove the animals from his house on Thursday, May 4, 2023. Officers found about 157 cats and three dogs at the Mantoloking Road home. It took crews about 24 hours for the pets to be removed and brought to county animal facilities for treatment. Finlay was first charge…
NJ Man, 39, Drowns In Delaware Water Gap NJ Man, 39, Drowns In Delaware Water Gap
NJ Man, 39, Drowns In Delaware Water Gap A New Jersey man's body was discovered in the Delaware River, authorities said. The 39-year-old Lakewood man was found dead in Bushkill, Pennsylvania, on Monday, Aug. 26, a National Park Service spokesperson said in a news release. His body was spotted about 20 to 30 feet from the shore at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Rangers and divers responded to the drowning call at Bushkill Access at around 1:45 p.m. The man's body was recovered in about seven feet of water at around 3:07 p.m. This is the second person of the summer to drown at th…
Monroe Township Man Among Two More Arrests In Jersey Shore Murder Plot, Prosecutors Say Monroe Township Man Among Two More Arrests In Jersey Shore Murder Plot, Prosecutors Say
Monroe Township Man Among Two More Arrests In Jersey Shore Murder Plot, Prosecutors Say Two more men were charged in a plot to shoot and kill another man in Jackson Township, authorities said. Noah Phelps of Monroe Township and Glenn Franzson of Jackson Township were arrested, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Tuesday, Aug. 20. The two 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 treated at Jersey Shore University Medical Center and released from the N…
Antisemitic Arsonist Sentenced For Rampage In South Jersey Neighborhood, Prosecutors Say Antisemitic Arsonist Sentenced For Rampage In South Jersey Neighborhood, Prosecutors Say
Antisemitic Arsonist Sentenced For Rampage In South Jersey Neighborhood, Prosecutors Say A Manchester Township man will spend several years in prison after admitting to an antisemitic crime spree, including arson and spray painting Nazi symbols on homes, authorities said. Ron Carr, 35, was sentenced on Friday, Aug. 16 to seven years in state prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He pleaded guilty on Thursday, June 20 to arson, bias intimidation, and two counts of criminal mischief. Manchester police responded to vandalism reports at homes in Pine Lake Park at around 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, 2023. Officers found 14 ho…
Rescuers, Coast Guard Helicopter Save Two Men Stuck On Jersey Shore Jetty Rescuers, Coast Guard Helicopter Save Two Men Stuck On Jersey Shore Jetty
Rescuers, Coast Guard Helicopter Save Two Men Stuck On Jersey Shore Jetty Two men were rescued after they were stuck at the end of a jetty in Ocean County, officials said. The men were found at the end of the south jetty at Barnegat Light State Park on Sunday, Aug. 18, Barnegat Light Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 said in a Facebook post. The fire company used two jetskis to respond, along with a helicopter from the U.S. Coast Guard station in Barnegat Light. One Barnegat Light rescuer swam over to the rocks and helped the men up a jetty marker. A Coast Guard member was lowered from the helicopter to rescue the men. Multiple Station 13 and Barne…
NJ Performing Arts High School Teacher Molested Female Student, Prosecutors Say NJ Performing Arts High School Teacher Molested Female Student, Prosecutors Say
NJ Performing Arts High School Teacher Molested Female Student, Prosecutors Say A former teacher at an Ocean County performing arts high school was accused of molesting a female student, authorities said. Douglas Bollinger, 56, of Neptune City, was charged on Monday, Aug. 12 with two counts each of endangering the welfare of a child and criminal sexual contact, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Bollinger was a teacher at the Grunin Performing Arts Academy at Ocean County Vocational Technical School (OCVTS). The academy had 240 students as of September 2023 and offers high schoolers opportunities to take dual-credit co…
Jersey Shore Man Sentenced For Attacking 70-Year-Old Bicyclist Who Died, Prosecutors Say Jersey Shore Man Sentenced For Attacking 70-Year-Old Bicyclist Who Died, Prosecutors Say
Jersey Shore Man Sentenced For Attacking 70-Year-Old Bicyclist Who Died, Prosecutors Say A Seaside Heights man will spend several years in prison after attacking a bicyclist who died from his injuries two weeks later, authorities said. Anthony Collins, 41, was sentenced on Thursday, Aug. 8 to three years in state prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Collins previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter after he was charged in the death of 70-year-old Robert May of Seaside Heights. Seaside Heights police responded to a report of a bike rider who fell near the intersection of Central and Sumner avenues at around 4 p.m. on Monda…
Towns With The Most Rainfall In New Jersey Towns With The Most Rainfall In New Jersey
Towns With The Most Rainfall In New Jersey The National Weather Service has released the rainfall totals from the Tuesday, Aug. 6 storm. Residents across the Northeast woke up Wednesday, Aug. 7 to several inches of water — in some places, feet. Here are the towns that got the most amount of rain: Bergen County: Ridgewood 5.79 inches   Bogota 5.60 inches Oakland 3.86 inches Leonia 3.81 inches Lyndhurst 3.77 inches Hillsdale 3.56 inches Hasbrouck Heights 3.42 inches Hackensack 2.9…
Tracking Hurricane Debby, Severe Storms Expected To Slam Northeast This Week Tracking Hurricane Debby, Severe Storms Expected To Slam Northeast This Week
Tracking Hurricane Debby, Severe Storms Expected To Slam Northeast This Week The Northeast is in for a wild week of weather. AccuWeather forecasters say episodes of drenching rain and heavy winds are working their way across the country and are expected to arrive in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland on Tuesday, Aug. 6. AccuWeather The above AccuWeather map shows which part of the region will be most impacted by the storms arriving Tuesday afternoon and lasting into the evening. Those include the Pennsylvania-Maryland border, South Jersey, and the Philadelphia and Baltimore areas. Tuesday will be sunny and hot with a high of 90 before storms roll in,…
Kayaker Who Drowned In NJ Lake Wasn't Wearing Life Preserver, Investigators Say Kayaker Who Drowned In NJ Lake Wasn't Wearing Life Preserver, Investigators Say
Kayaker Who Drowned In NJ Lake Wasn't Wearing Life Preserver, Investigators Say Authorities have identified the Old Bridge man who drowned when his kayak capsized in Jackson Township. Search and rescue divers found the body of 29-year-old John Pereira in Prospertown Lake on Sunday, Aug. 4, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He was first reported missing at around 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3. Witnesses told Jackson Township police that Pereira was not wearing a life preserver and they believed he drowned. The search was suspended in the evening due to severe weather and Pereira's body was recovered at around 3:55 p.…
Watch Treadmill Abuse Dad Christopher Gregor Learn His Fate For Causing 6-Year-Old Son's Death Watch Treadmill Abuse Dad Christopher Gregor Learn His Fate For Causing 6-Year-Old Son's Death
Watch Treadmill Abuse Dad Christopher Gregor Learn His Fate For Causing 6-Year-Old Son's Death Presiding Judge Guy P. Ryan did not mince his words in delivering Christopher Gregor's sentence Friday, Aug. 2. "What Corey received that day was abuse of the most egregious sort and doesn't square with the defendant's statements today," said Ryan from an Ocean County courtroom in footage shared by Court TV. What he was referring to was the series of videos, obtained by Court TV, that show 32-year-old Gregor forcing 6-year-old Corey Micciolo to sprint for extended periods of time even after falling, again and again. Corey died on April 2, 2021. A post-mortem exam showed he had suffered in…
Pumpkin-Snacking Snow Leopard Dies After Spending Senior Years At Jersey Shore Animal Refuge Pumpkin-Snacking Snow Leopard Dies After Spending Senior Years At Jersey Shore Animal Refuge
Pumpkin-Snacking Snow Leopard Dies After Spending Senior Years At Jersey Shore Animal Refuge An elderly snow leopard has died after spending about four years at an Ocean County animal sanctuary, officials said. A male snow leopard named Ty died from old age, Popcorn Park Animal Refuge said in a Facebook post on Thursday, Aug. 1. He was 14 years old when he arrived at the Lacey Township sanctuary in 2020. Popcorn Park said it was honored to care for Ty in his final years. "It is a privilege to provide refuge for animals in their golden years, those with medical needs, and any animal in need that comes through our doors," the park said. "Ty was a very special senior b…
Popular Jersey Shore Bakery Closing One Location, Moving To Another Popular Jersey Shore Bakery Closing One Location, Moving To Another
Popular Jersey Shore Bakery Closing One Location, Moving To Another After 25 years, a popular Ocean County bakery is closing doors of one shop and moving to another. Colonial Bakery in Lavallette announced its Grand Central Avenue location will be closing as the landlord will not be renewing the lease after the summer, the bakery announced on social media. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Colonial Bakery (@colonialbakery) "Despite this setback, a new second location will be opening summer 2025!" the family-owned bakery said, located at the corner of Route 35 north and Joseph Street. Colonial…
Jersey Shore Man Admits Shooting Atlantic City Victim: Prosecutor Jersey Shore Man Admits Shooting Atlantic City Victim: Prosecutor
Jersey Shore Man Admits Shooting Atlantic City Victim: Prosecutor A 27-year-old man from Ocean County has admitted to a shooting in Atlantic City, authorities said. Louis Stokes, of Barnegat, pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree aggravated assault, second-degree possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose, and third-degree hindering apprehension on Thursday, July 25, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office. Shortly before midnight on Oct. 14, 2022, the Atlantic City Police Department responded to Sewell Avenue in Atlantic City where they located a gunshot victim. The victim had been shot once in the leg and …
Worker Fell 80 Feet Inside Jersey Shore Water Tower, Painting Contractor Fined $485K: OSHA Worker Fell 80 Feet Inside Jersey Shore Water Tower, Painting Contractor Fined $485K: OSHA
Worker Fell 80 Feet Inside Jersey Shore Water Tower, Painting Contractor Fined $485K: Osha A painting contractor was facing nearly $500,000 in fines after a worker fell 80 feet to the bottom of an Ocean County water tower without safety gear, officials said. The U.S. Department of Labor cited U.S. Tank Painting for three willful and 19 serious violations, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in a news release on Wednesday, July 24. The DOL proposed $485,580 in penalties for the Millstone Township company. OSHA said the contractor didn't install the required safety equipment to prevent an employee from falling inside the Bayville wat…
Man Sentenced For 'Hate-Filled' Rampage That Injured Five Orthodox Jews In South Jersey: Feds Man Sentenced For 'Hate-Filled' Rampage That Injured Five Orthodox Jews In South Jersey: Feds
Man Sentenced For 'Hate-Filled' Rampage That Injured Five Orthodox Jews In South Jersey: Feds A Manchester Township man will spend decades in prison after a series of antisemitic attacks in Ocean County that injured five Orthodox Jewish men, authorities said. Dion Marsh, 29, was sentenced on Tuesday, July 23 to 40 years in prison, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. He previously pleaded guilty to five counts of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and one count of carjacking on Thursday, Feb. 1. Marsh admitted to injuring five victims because they're Jewish, attempting to kill four …
Scrap Metal Company VP, 24, Killed In Jersey Shore Weekend Crash Scrap Metal Company VP, 24, Killed In Jersey Shore Weekend Crash
Scrap Metal Company VP, 24, Killed In Jersey Shore Weekend Crash The vice president of a scrap metal company died in a crash in Ocean County, authorities said. Kevin Scoda, 24, of Edison, was killed in the crash on Route 72, the Stafford Township Police Department said in a news release on Tuesday, July 23. Officers responded to the scene near milepost 24.5 at around 7:45 p.m. on Saturday, July 20. Investigators said Scoda's 2023 Chevrolet Corvette collided with a 2018 Subaru while traveling east on Route 72. Scoda's sports car went off the road, crashed into a utility pole, and caught fire. "Unidentified citizens" were able to get Scoda out o…
Man Found Dead With Knife Near Body Believed Killed By Jersey Shore Roommate: Cops Man Found Dead With Knife Near Body Believed Killed By Jersey Shore Roommate: Cops
Man Found Dead With Knife Near Body Believed Killed By Jersey Shore Roommate: Cops A Jackson Township man has been charged with murder in the death of his roommate, according to authorities in Ocean County. Robert Sunris, 74, was found dead having suffering stab wounds, with a knife near his body, in a home on Maple Street just before 6 a.m. Friday, July 19,  Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Jackson Township Police Chief Matthew Kunz said. Louis Gargiso, 38, is believed to have stabbed Sunris and was later charged with murder and weapons offenses, authorities said. A post-mortem examination determined that Sunris’ death was a stab wound and the …
NJ Father Released From Jail After Two-Month-Old's Hot Car Death NJ Father Released From Jail After Two-Month-Old's Hot Car Death
NJ Father Released From Jail After Two-Month-Old's Hot Car Death A Jackson Township man was released from jail a day after his eight-week-old daughter died from being in a hot vehicle, authorities said. Avraham Chaitovsky, 28, was no longer held at the Ocean County Jail after a detention hearing on Tuesday, July 16. He was charged with endangering the welfare of a child in the baby's death on Monday, July 15. Lakewood police responded to a report of a child in cardiac arrest on New Egypt Road at around 1:45 p.m. Hatzolah Medical Services paramedics tried to save the two-month-old but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Investi…
Former NJ Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Another Student Years Ago: Prosecutors Former NJ Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Another Student Years Ago: Prosecutors
Former NJ Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Another Student Years Ago: Prosecutors A former Wall Township High School teacher was facing more charges after she was accused of sexually assaulting a second student, authorities said. Julie Rizzitello, 36, of Brick Township, was charged with one count of second-degree sexual assault and one count of third-degree witness tampering, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Wednesday, July 17.  She was previously charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, third-degree witness tampering, and three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. Investigators said they found e…
Forest Fire Erupts At 9,400-Acre Military Facility In NJ After Morning Munitions 'Activity' Forest Fire Erupts At 9,400-Acre Military Facility In NJ After Morning Munitions 'Activity'
Forest Fire Erupts At 9,400-Acre Military Facility In NJ After Morning Munitions 'Activity' The New Jersey Forest Fire Service was on scene of a wildfire that erupted at a 9,400-acre munitions facility after a morning of testing, officials confirmed Tuesday afternoon, July 16. The NJ Forest Fire Service was called to the Warren Grove Air to Ground Range in Ocean County at approximately 2:45 p.m., they said in a post to Facebook. The Little Egg Harbor Police Department this morning warned of "activity" at the 9,400-acre range in Ocean County.  Some were speculating that loud booms heard and felt across New York and New Jersey were a result of something at the range. Noth…
Infant Left In Hot Car By Dad Dies In New Jersey, Prosecutor Says Infant Left In Hot Car By Dad Dies In New Jersey, Prosecutor Says
Infant Left In Hot Car By Dad Dies In New Jersey, Prosecutor Says A Jackson Township man was accused of leaving his two-month-old daughter in a hot vehicle, causing the baby to die, authorities said. Avraham Chaitovsky, 28, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Tuesday, July 16. Lakewood police responded to a report of a child in cardiac arrest on New Egypt Road at around 1:45 p.m. on Monday, July 15. Officers found Hatzolah Medical Services giving lifesaving aid to the eight-week-old girl but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators sai…
Fireball Traveling 34,000 MPH Over NYC Caused Loud Boom Heard Across Tristate: NASA Fireball Traveling 34,000 MPH Over NYC Caused Loud Boom Heard Across Tristate: NASA
Fireball Traveling 34,000 MPH Over NYC Caused Loud Boom Heard Across Tristate: NASA The mysterious boom heard and felt across the tristate area may have been caused by a meteor passing through the area, NASA says. Locals reported hearing thunder-like booms and rattling just after 11:20 a.m. Tuesday, July 16.  The USGS ruled out earthquakes, and residents across the tri-state reported witnessing fireballs to the American Meteor Society. After hours of anticipating, NASA confirmed a "daylight fireball" over New York City at 11:17 a.m. Reports filed on the American Meteor Society website permitted "a very crude determination of the trajectory of the meteor," …