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Police & Fire
Throngs Of Unruly Teens Break Up NJ Haunted Hayride Event, Police Say Throngs Of Unruly Teens Break Up NJ Haunted Hayride Event, Police Say
Throngs Of Unruly Teens Break Up NJ Haunted Hayride Event, Police Say About 200 teens and young adults caused chaos at a PTA-sponsored hayride in Collingswood, authorities said. The large group was dropped off by several vehicles on the outskirts of Knight Park on Saturday, Oct. 19, the Collingswood Police Department said in a Facebook post. The teens and young adults started fighting each other, ran recklessly through the crowd, and cut in line for the Haunted Hayride. Officers at the event broke up the unruly teens and other Camden County police departments were called in to help. "To ensure the safety of those in attendance, the decision was mad…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Man Admits To NYC Man's Stabbing Death At Atlantic City Motel, Prosecutors Say Man Admits To NYC Man's Stabbing Death At Atlantic City Motel, Prosecutors Say
Man Admits To NYC Man's Stabbing Death At Atlantic City Motel, Prosecutors Say An Atlantic City man admitted to stabbing a New York City man to death at a motel, authorities said. Julio Vazquez-Dones, 38, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Oct. 23 to first-degree aggravated manslaughter, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. He was facing charges in the killing of 31-year-old Jewel Lonon from the Rosedale neighborhood of Queens. Atlantic City police responded to a fight at the Red Carpet Inn at around 5 a.m. on Saturday, July 8, 2023. Officers found Lonon suffering from stab wounds and he died from his injuries. Officers detained several…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
NJ Under Mandatory Fire Restrictions, Drought Watch Amid High Risk For Wildfires: What To Know NJ Under Mandatory Fire Restrictions, Drought Watch Amid High Risk For Wildfires: What To Know
NJ Under Mandatory Fire Restrictions, Drought Watch Amid High Risk For Wildfires: What To Know New Jersey officials have implemented high-level fire restrictions due to extremely dry conditions, making forests extremely vulnerable to wildfires. The Stage 3 restrictions prohibit all fires unless they are contained in an elevated stove using only propane, natural gas or electricity, according to the Department of Environmental Protections, which mandated Stage 3 fire restrictions earlier this week. No wood or charcoal fires are allowed, and the use of kerosene or gas torches of any kind is prohibited during the Stage 3 restrictions. The fire ban is in place on all public lands and priv…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Missing Juvenile Located, Arrested For Stealing Vehicle: Berkeley Heights PD Missing Juvenile Located, Arrested For Stealing Vehicle: Berkeley Heights PD
Missing Juvenile Located, Arrested For Stealing Vehicle: Berkeley Heights PD A missing teenager was located and subsequently arrested for stealing a vehicle on Monday, Oct. 21, in Berkeley Heights, police said. Bernards Township police notified surrounding municipalities of a missing juvenile from a residential school within their township, Berkeley Heights police said. The juvenile was found at a family member's residence in Berkeley Heights hours later but fled prior to the arrival of the police, officers said. Officers then conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle reported stolen from Bernards Township earlier in the day, police said. The driver of the vehicle,…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Man Sentenced For Killing Cliffwood Teen, Injuring Cousin In Wildwood Stabbing: Prosecutors Man Sentenced For Killing Cliffwood Teen, Injuring Cousin In Wildwood Stabbing: Prosecutors
Man Sentenced For Killing Cliffwood Teen, Injuring Cousin In Wildwood Stabbing: Prosecutors A Hightstown man will spend at least 16 years in prison for killing a Cliffwood teen and injuring his cousin in a triple stabbing, authorities said. DaJohn Taylor was sentenced to 19 years in state prison, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland said in a news release on Friday, Oct. 18. He was convicted of aggravated manslaughter and aggravated assault. Investigators said one group walking on the 300 block of East Magnolia Avenue in Wildwood got into an argument with another group standing on a porch at around 2:15 a.m. on Sunday, June 11, 2023. A p…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Man Admits To Driving High On Meth, Injuring Four People In Toms River Crash: Prosecutors Man Admits To Driving High On Meth, Injuring Four People In Toms River Crash: Prosecutors
Man Admits To Driving High On Meth, Injuring Four People In Toms River Crash: Prosecutors A Jackson Township man admitted to driving a stolen pickup while high on methamphetamine in a crash that injured another man and three children, authorities said. Charles Sharkey Jr., 35, pleaded guilty on Monday, Oct. 21 to aggravated assault, driving while intoxicated, and certain person not to possess a firearm, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release.  Sharkey was charged in a crash on Thursday, Mar. 23, 2023. Toms River police responded to the wreck near the intersection of Route 70 and Massachusetts Avenue at around 4 p.m. Invest…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Former Cape May Boy Scout Volunteer Who Sexually Assaulted Child Sentenced, Prosecutors Say Former Cape May Boy Scout Volunteer Who Sexually Assaulted Child Sentenced, Prosecutors Say
Former Cape May Boy Scout Volunteer Who Sexually Assaulted Child Sentenced, Prosecutors Say A North Cape May man who was once a Boy Scouts of America volunteer will spend more than two decades in prison for sexually assaulting a child, authorities said. John Gillespie Jr., 37, was sentenced on Friday, Oct. 18 to 25 years in state prison, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland said in a news release. Gillespie pleaded guilty on Friday, July 12 to first-degree aggravated sexual assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Investigators executed a search warrant at a home on Town Bank Road on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023. The search was promp…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Video Shows Intoxicated Flying Jeep Driver's Arrest After Landing On Monmouth County Deck Video Shows Intoxicated Flying Jeep Driver's Arrest After Landing On Monmouth County Deck
Video Shows Intoxicated Flying Jeep Driver's Arrest After Landing On Monmouth County Deck 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…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Farmingdale Man Who Tried To Abduct Girl, Groped Woman Pleads Guilty: Prosecutors Farmingdale Man Who Tried To Abduct Girl, Groped Woman Pleads Guilty: Prosecutors
Farmingdale Man Who Tried To Abduct Girl, Groped Woman Pleads Guilty: Prosecutors A Farmingdale man admitted to trying to kidnap a teen girl and groping a woman in a Target parking lot during a two-county crime spree, authorities said. Quamel Benton, 36, pleaded guilty on Monday, Oct. 21 to attempted kidnapping, two counts of eluding, and criminal sexual contact, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Lakewood police responded to a report of an attempted kidnapping near Forest Park Circle at around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 21. Officers learned that a man tried to force the girl into a "smaller model" white SUV. The …

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Toms River Man Convicted For Shooting Two Men In Head, Killing Them: Prosecutors Toms River Man Convicted For Shooting Two Men In Head, Killing Them: Prosecutors
Toms River Man Convicted For Shooting Two Men In Head, Killing Them: Prosecutors A Toms River man was found guilty of killing two men in a Lakewood apartment nearly three years ago, authorities said. After a nearly month-long trial, a jury convicted 42-year-old Tyshaun Drummond on Tuesday, Oct. 22 of two murder counts, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He was charged in the deaths of 36-year-old Nicholas Hardy of Toms River and 32-year-old Sergio Chavez-Perez of Lakewood. Lakewood police responded to shots fired at an apartment complex on River Avenue at around 7:20 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021. Officers found Drummond matching…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Driver Was Spinning Tires Before Killing NJ Lawyer In Nashville Crosswalk: Police Driver Was Spinning Tires Before Killing NJ Lawyer In Nashville Crosswalk: Police
Driver Was Spinning Tires Before Killing NJ Lawyer In Nashville Crosswalk: Police A 58-year-old New Jersey attorney and lobbyist was killed in Nashville, TN on Saturday, Oct. 19 after he was struck by a vehicle, authorities said. Michael O'Connell, of Belmar, was crossing the street with the walk light when he was struck by 2009 Dodge pickup truck attempting to make a left turn, Nashville police said in a release. The driver, Joey Nixon, 36, had a green light but failed to yield to the pedestrian, police said. O’Connell died at the scene, police said. Nixon was spinning his tires and speeding prior to the crash, witnesses told police. O'Connell was a lawyer and a l…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Juvenile Made Threats Against Middle School Students: Warren Township PD Juvenile Made Threats Against Middle School Students: Warren Township PD
Juvenile Made Threats Against Middle School Students: Warren Township PD A juvenile in Warren Township was arrested and charged on Sunday, Oct. 20 with making threats against middle school students, authorities said. Officers began investigating after receiving reports that a Warren Middle School student had made threatening statements outside of school hours to other students via an online social media platform, Warren Township police said. Police identified the juvenile responsible, and determined that the threat was not credible, officers said. The juvenile has been charged with terroristic threats and issued a juvenile delinquency summons, police s…

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by Sam Barron