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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…
Neshanic Station Boater Struck By Propeller, Sucked Under Water: Police Neshanic Station Boater Struck By Propeller, Sucked Under Water: Police
Neshanic Station 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…
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…
Two More Arrested In Plot To Murder Man On Jersey Shore, Prosecutors Say Two More Arrested In Plot To Murder Man On Jersey Shore, Prosecutors Say
Two More Arrested In Plot To Murder Man On Jersey Shore, 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…
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…
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…
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…
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," …
NJ Man Killed, Dismembered By 5 People Including Murder Suspect Before SWAT Standoff: Cops NJ Man Killed, Dismembered By 5 People Including Murder Suspect Before SWAT Standoff: Cops
NJ Man Killed, Dismembered By 5 People Including Murder Suspect Before SWAT Standoff: Cops Four people from Ocean County were accused of helping a murder suspect dismember the body of a Toms River man who was killed in his home, authorities said. Elizabeth Mascarelli, 29, of Seaside Heights; Danielle Bolstad, 42, of Barnegat; Jared Krysiak, 34, of Brick Township; and Jarred Palumbo, 36, of Manchester, were facing charges in the case, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Monday, July 15. Their charges were related to the killing of 56-year-old Kerry Rollason. Investigators said Rollason was killed by 35-ye…
Water Restrictions Issued Across These Jersey Shore Counties Water Restrictions Issued Across These Jersey Shore Counties
Water Restrictions Issued Across These Jersey Shore Counties Customers in two counties were asked to conserve water as crews made emergency repairs at a treatment plant, officials said. New Jersey American Water issued a mandatory outdoor water conservation restriction for customers in Monmouth and Ocean counties, the company said in a news release on Sunday, July 14. The order was expected to last for 48 hours. The company said crews will fix a 36-inch valve at its Jumping Brook Water Treatment Plant in Neptune. "Increased summer demands" were also cited as a reason for the restrictions. The order applies to customers in the fol…
$1.13B Mega Millions Ticket Unclaimed More Than Three Months After NJ's Record Jackpot $1.13B Mega Millions Ticket Unclaimed More Than Three Months After NJ's Record Jackpot
$1.13B Mega Millions Ticket Unclaimed More Than Three Months After NJ's Record Jackpot The winner of a Mega Millions ticket purchased in New Jersey hasn't claimed the $1.13 billion prize more than three months after the record-setting jackpot, officials said. The winning ticket was sold at the ShopRite Wine & Spirits on Route 66 in Neptune for the drawing on Tuesday, Mar. 26. The New Jersey Lottery said the prize remained unclaimed in a news release on Monday, July 8.  The jackpot was the largest lottery prize ever in the Garden State. It's also the fifth-largest in Mega Millions history and the ninth-largest ever in the U.S. The winning numbers were …
Tattooed Gunman Charged With Shooting NJ Victim In Face In Tag-Team Assault: Prosecutor Tattooed Gunman Charged With Shooting NJ Victim In Face In Tag-Team Assault: Prosecutor
Tattooed Gunman Charged With Shooting NJ Victim In Face In Tag-Team Assault: Prosecutor A 26-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after shooting another man in his face last month, authorities in Ocean County said. Michael Vulpis, 26, was arrested at his home in Freehold on Wednesday, July 3, in connection with the June 27 incident in Jackson Township, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. The 27-year-old victim and a female were sitting in a parked car outside of a home on Larsen Road when a blue sedan then parked in front of the vehicle, blocking it in, Billhimer said.  Vulpis and another man got out of the blue sedan, approached the ve…
NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors
NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors A state trooper was accused of trying to pay for sex from someone he believed was a teen girl and asking for sexual pictures, authorities said. Shane Dempsey, 31, of Brick Township, was arrested in Ewing on Monday, July 1, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release. Investigators said Dempsey contacted an undercover detective on the social media app Whisper earlier in 2024.  Prosecutors said Dempsey asked for "sexually explicit images" from the detective, who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. He also said he would pay money for a sex act fro…
Manchester Shooting Victim, 25, Dies After Being Airlifted To Hospital, Cops Say Manchester Shooting Victim, 25, Dies After Being Airlifted To Hospital, Cops Say
Manchester Shooting Victim, 25, Dies After Being Airlifted To Hospital, Cops Say Police in one Ocean County town are investigating the shooting death of a 25-year-old woman on Thursday, June 27, authorities said. Officers responding to a 9-1-1 call found the woman on Ridgeway Road and Hope Chapel Road with a gunshot wound to her stomach just before 5 p.m., Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. ALSO SEE: Victim Of Ocean County Shooting, 25, Was 'Vibrant' Mom Survived By Young Son, Obituary Says The victim was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where she died of her injuries, the prosecutor said alongside Manc…
Lightning Strike Confirmed Cause Of Death For 59-Year-Old 'Cowboy Hero' On NJ Beach Lightning Strike Confirmed Cause Of Death For 59-Year-Old 'Cowboy Hero' On NJ Beach
Lightning Strike Confirmed Cause Of Death For 59-Year-Old 'Cowboy Hero' On NJ Beach A Toms River man died from a lightning strike on an Ocean County beach, authorities said. A Seaside Park Police Department spokesperson confirmed to Daily Voice that 59-year-old Patrick Dispoto's cause of death was accidental and caused by a lightning strike. He was found unconscious on the beach near J Street at around 7:38 p.m. on Sunday, June 23. Police said Dispoto had no visible signs of injuries. He was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Dispoto's girlfriend Ruth said he tried to warn a group of children on the beach about the thunderstorm aft…
Mom Stabs Baby, Toddler Dead In Lakewood: Prosecutor Mom Stabs Baby, Toddler Dead In Lakewood: Prosecutor
Mom Stabs Baby, Toddler Dead In Lakewood: Prosecutor A woman in Lakewood has been charged with two counts or murder and weapons offenses in the deaths of her two children, authorities announced. Naomi Elkins, 27, is believed to have stabbed a 1- and 3-year-old child, who were found in cardiac arrest by responders at a home on Shenandoah Drive around 4:50 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. Paramedics from Hatzolah Medical Services were performing lifesaving efforts when police arrived and the children were pronounced dead at the scene. Elkins was arrested at the scene and lodged in the county jail p…