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Route 22, NJ

Police & Fire
Plainfield Man Gets Nearly One Year For Dragging Police Officer On Dirt Bike: Prosecutor Plainfield Man Gets Nearly One Year For Dragging Police Officer On Dirt Bike: Prosecutor
Plainfield Man Gets Nearly One Year For Dragging Police Officer On Dirt Bike: Prosecutor A 39-year-old Plainfield man was sentence to 364 days in prison on Friday, Nov. 22 after previously being convicted of assaulting a North Plainfield police officer by dragging him on his dirt bike in April 2022, authorities said.  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 ne…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
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…

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by Sam Barron
Business
Owner Of NJ Steakhouse Sold After 14 Years Has Message For Critics Owner Of NJ Steakhouse Sold After 14 Years Has Message For Critics
Owner Of NJ Steakhouse Sold After 14 Years Has Message For Critics After 14 years and a million meals served, the Grillestone Steakhouse is closing its doors. Frank Peterpaul, who's been running the Scotch Plains restaurant, says it has been sold as his family embarks on a new chapter. Peterpaul went on to thank the customers who became friends, who became family, the valued staff, and noted the sense of belonging and joy that came from being part of the community. And toward the bottom of Peterpaul's goodbye tribute, he left a special message for the critics: "For the detractors, yelpers and self-proclaimed restaurant critics, I would relish the opportu…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
New Peruvian Restaurant Spices Up Somerset County New Peruvian Restaurant Spices Up Somerset County
New Peruvian Restaurant Spices Up Somerset County The unique spices and flavors offered by Peruvian cuisine have a new place to call home in Somerset County. Pachamama is opening this month in Green Brook at 215 Route 22, offering diners a mix of Latin and South American dishes, inspired by the best of Peruvian food. The restaurant is run by Driven Hospitality, which also runs Panela in Hoboken.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by PachaMama (@pachamamagreenbrook) The kitchen is run by Ricardo Ramirez, a native of Lima and offers classic dishes like lomo saltado, steak with onions, …

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Newark Ex-Con Gets 19 Years, No Parole, On Federal Gun, Drug Convictions Newark Ex-Con Gets 19 Years, No Parole, On Federal Gun, Drug Convictions
Newark Ex-Con Gets 19 Years, No Parole, On Federal Gun, Drug Convictions An ex-con from Newark was sentenced to 228 months in federal prison for trafficking cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl while carrying a loaded gun. Ricky Hubbard, 46, was convicted by jurors in U.S. District Court in March. He'll have to serve out the entire 19-year term because there's no parole in the federal prison system. Hubbard was talking on a cellphone when Union Township police stopped him in a 2012 Kia Sedona with tinted windows in the eastbound lanes of Route 22 near Ball Avenue on Nov. 6, 2019, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said. They immediately smelled pot while noticing a b…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
PURSUIT: Stolen Car Collisions Injure Homeland Security Agent, NJSP Detectives, Teen Thief PURSUIT: Stolen Car Collisions Injure Homeland Security Agent, NJSP Detectives, Teen Thief
Pursuit: Stolen Car Collisions Injure Homeland Security Agent, Njsp Detectives, Teen Thief UPDATE: Two New Jersey State Police detectives were struck and a U.S. Homeland Security agent rammed head-on by a quartet of car thieves, one of them a 15-year-old who had his leg broken during a pursuit, authorities confirmed. Three adults and the injured juvenile were seized following a chain reaction of collisions in Newark involving a stolen SUV, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said on Friday, June 30. It began with the theft of the 2021 BMW X6 in Cedar Grove around 7:30 a.m. Thursday, June 22, the attorney general said. Members of the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
STATE POLICE CHASE: Federal Agent, NJSP Detective Injured In Collisions With Fleeing Thieves STATE POLICE CHASE: Federal Agent, NJSP Detective Injured In Collisions With Fleeing Thieves
State Police Chase: Federal Agent, Njsp Detective Injured In Collisions With Fleeing Thieves UPDATE: Two New Jersey State Police detectives were struck and a U.S. Homeland Security agent rammed head-on by a quartet of car thieves, one of them a 15-year-old who had his leg broken during a pursuit, authorities confirmed. Three adults and the injured juvenile were seized following a chain reaction of collisions in Newark involving a stolen SUV, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said on Friday, June 30. It began with the theft of the 2021 BMW X6 in Cedar Grove around 7:30 a.m. Thursday, June 22, the attorney general said. Members of the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Somerset County Driver Killed In Late-Night Crash At Rt. 22 Intersection Somerset County Driver Killed In Late-Night Crash At Rt. 22 Intersection
Somerset County Driver Killed In Late-Night Crash At Rt. 22 Intersection A Somerset County driver was killed after colliding with another vehicle at a Route 22 intersection late on Wednesday, June 21. Charles Young, of Somerset, was driving a 2018 Jeep Wrangler and hit a 2018 Nissan Rogue driven by Wallace Wilder of Charlotte, North Carolina, in the westbound lanes at the intersection of the MetLife facility in Bridgewater around 11:58 p.m., police said. Young was pronounced dead at the scene. Responding agencies include the Bradley Gardens Volunteer Rescue Squad and Robert Wood Johnson Hospital’s Paramedics. The cause of the crash is under investigation. No f…

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by Valerie Musson
Business
Mexican Restaurant Chain Closes NJ Location Less Than Year After Opening Mexican Restaurant Chain Closes NJ Location Less Than Year After Opening
Mexican Restaurant Chain Closes NJ Location Less Than Year After Opening A popular Mexican eatery has shuttered one of its New Jersey locations less than a year after opening. The Green Brook restaurant on Route 22 has closed its doors for good, according to an automated voice message on the shop’s answering machine. “Thank you for calling Tacos El Tio Green Brook,” the message begins. “We regret to inform you that this location is permanently closed. We look forward to continuing to serve you at our next closest location in Monroe Township. Should you have any further questions, please visit the ‘contact us’ option on our website, tacoseltio.com. Thank you.” T…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
NOT SO FAST: Thief Hops Inside Woman's Unlocked Car And Drives Off, Police In NJ Say NOT SO FAST: Thief Hops Inside Woman's Unlocked Car And Drives Off, Police In NJ Say
NOT SO FAST: Thief Hops Inside Woman's Unlocked Car And Drives Off, Police In NJ Say A Somerset County man hopped behind the wheel of a woman's car  left unlocked and parked outside of her job and drove off, authorities said. Surveillance tapes show James Owens, age 39, Somerville, getting inside of the vehicle parked at a business on Route 22 before heading east on Route 22 around 11:35 a.m. on Thursday, April 28 in Branchburg, Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart said. Owens took the car to Somerville and parked it near Mechanic Street, Taggart said alongside County Detectives John W. Fodor. Police found the stolen car soon after, and identifi…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Feds: Ex-Con Whose Companion Crashed Into NJ Restaurant Sentenced For 'Glock Switch' Pistol Feds: Ex-Con Whose Companion Crashed Into NJ Restaurant Sentenced For 'Glock Switch' Pistol
Feds: Ex-Con Whose Companion Crashed Into NJ Restaurant Sentenced For 'Glock Switch' Pistol An ex-con whose companion crashed his car into a Route 22 restaurant was sentenced in Newark to 2½ years in federal prison for carrying a pistol converted into a machine gun. Christian Cordero-Gotay, 29, of Brooklyn was being arrested Clinton Township police during an August 2020 traffic stop on Route 22 when his companion, Genesis Bertefabian, suddenly jumped behind the wheel and sped off, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. The vehicle crashed into a Lebanon restaurant minutes later, Honig said. Bertefabian ran into woods behind Chelsea’s Restaurant and tried to hide a 9mm Glock-…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Manville Man In His 30s Dies In Route 22 Crash Manville Man In His 30s Dies In Route 22 Crash
Manville Man In His 30s Dies In Route 22 Crash A man in his 30s died in a crash on Route 22 in Somerset County Wednesday, authorities said. Bound Brook police responded to the eastbound side of the roadway following multiple 911 calls reporting a crash between Vosseller and Mountain avenues around 11:20 a.m., Deputy Chief Kevin Rivenbark said. The Manville man, whose identity was not being released, was pronounced dead at the scene.  Several witnesses pulled over and cooperated with the investigation.  The accident was under investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Reconstruction Team…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Essex County Pair Nabbed In Route 22 Gas Station Burglaries Essex County Pair Nabbed In Route 22 Gas Station Burglaries
Essex County Pair Nabbed In Route 22 Gas Station Burglaries Two Essex County men were arrested in connection with a pair of Route 22 gas station robberies, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office announced Wednesday. Abufurgan Ahmad, 54, of Newark, burglarized gas stations on Route 22 on April 15 and May 9, and was joined by Coleman Holden, 51, of East Orange, in the second incident, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said. During the first incident around 6:20 a.m., Ahmad forcibly opened the back door and stole an undisclosed amount in cash, a case of black and mild cigars and jumper cables from the gas station, Robertso…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Off-Duty Phillipsburg Police Officer Dominic Belcastro Killed In Motorcycle Crash Off-Duty Phillipsburg Police Officer Dominic Belcastro Killed In Motorcycle Crash
Off-Duty Phillipsburg Police Officer Dominic Belcastro Killed In Motorcycle Crash A Phillipsburg police officer died in a motorcycle crash Saturday. Dominic “Dom” Belcastro was riding a Harley-Davidson and had the right of way while heading eastbound on Route 22, according to Warren County Prosecutor Jim Pfeiffer, who witnessed the crash, NJ.com reports. A woman in a 2000 Toyota Camry was stopped at Fifth Street, when a vehicle in the right lane of the highway drove past the intersection, and the Toyota tried crossing into the turnaround near the post office immediately after that, the outlet said citing the prosecutor. Belcastro put the the bike down on the road -- ap…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
NJ Driver, 20, Accused Of Killing 4 Friends In Crash Tells Her Side On TikTok, GoFundMe NJ Driver, 20, Accused Of Killing 4 Friends In Crash Tells Her Side On TikTok, GoFundMe
NJ Driver, 20, Accused Of Killing 4 Friends In Crash Tells Her Side On TikTok, GoFundMe Money began pouring in to help pay legal fees for a 20-year-old Essex County woman after she posted a TikTok video on Saturday defending herself against charges in a violent crash that killed four of her close friends last spring. A badly-burned Nashauna Johnson of Newark also mounted a GoFundMe campaign to deal with legal costs. A grand jury in Newark on Thursday returned an indictment charging Johnson with four counts of death by auto – also known as vehicular homicide -- in the June 9 crash on Route 22 at the Newark-Hillside border. In her TikTok video, Johnson contends that drugs, alc…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
NJ Dad Charged With Attempted Murder Of 2-Year-Old Daughter At Motel NJ Dad Charged With Attempted Murder Of 2-Year-Old Daughter At Motel
NJ Dad Charged With Attempted Murder Of 2-Year-Old Daughter At Motel A New Jersey dad has been charged with first degree attempted murder after surveillance tapes caught him putting his 2-year-old daughter in a plastic bag and carrying her through a New Jersey motel, authorities said. North Plainfield police responded to a Route 22 motel on reports of a baby inside of a bag around 12:40 p.m. on Jan. 23, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said. There, they found a man later identified as Lamar S. Waller -- the girl's dad -- holding his child, Robertson said alongside Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives John W.…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
COVID-19: Iconic Somerset County Bridal Shop Shutters COVID-19: Iconic Somerset County Bridal Shop Shutters
Covid-19: Iconic Somerset County Bridal Shop Shutters A family-run Somerset County bridal shop will close after several decades in business. Jefre Bridal in the Green Brook Shopping Center on Route 22 is expected to shut its doors at the end of the month. The COVID-19 pandemic forced Jefre Bridal to go by appointment only, and everything in the store is currently at 50 percent off. The shop opened as Carol's Bridals in Plainfield, in 1958, and was renamed when current owner Jeffrey Rabinowitz relocated the store to its present location in 1971. Jefre Bridal is dressing its third generation of brides from returning families, its website says.

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Former NJ Army Guardsman Rejects Plea Deal In 'Upskirt' Photo Charge Former NJ Army Guardsman Rejects Plea Deal In 'Upskirt' Photo Charge
Former NJ Army Guardsman Rejects Plea Deal In 'Upskirt' Photo Charge The case of a former New Jersey Army National Guardsman accused of snapping photos up women's skirts will be heading to trial after he rejected a plea deal in Sussex County, according to a recent news report. Stephen Grogan, of Branchville, has been accused in four "upskirting" incidents across the U.S. since 2018 -- the year he separated from the state's National Guard, the NJ Herald reports. Grogan appeared in front of Sussex County Judge Louis S. Sceusi in a virtual hearing Tuesday, for an invasion of privacy charge stemming from a 2018 incident in a Montague supermarket. Grogan's attor…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Pair Charged In Fatal Bridgewater Birthday Party Shooting UPDATE: Pair Charged In Fatal Bridgewater Birthday Party Shooting
Update: Pair Charged In Fatal Bridgewater Birthday Party Shooting A Linden man fired multiple rounds into a vehicle, killing the driver outside of a Somerset County birthday party over the weekend, said authorities who charged him and one other man Monday. Sometime Saturday night, Roobino Philemon, 30, of West Orange and a friend showed up to a birthday party being held at a Bayberry Road in Bridgewater, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said in a joint statement. The homeowner from the front door told Philemon and the other man to leave as they were not welcome, Robertson said. Philemon and the man went to their car and stopped at Foot…

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by Cecilia Levine