'Even In Death,' Tow Truck-Driving NJ First Responder Will Continue To Save Lives 'Even In Death,' Tow Truck-Driving NJ First Responder Will Continue To Save Lives
'Even In Death,' Tow Truck-Driving NJ First Responder Will Continue To Save Lives The Stars & Stripes were raised and then lowered to half-staff in honor of a tow truck-driving first responder from Bergen County who was taken off life support this weekend after being gravely injured while responding to a call. Robert Thornton, 31, of Ridgefield Park, was officially pronounced dead at Hackensack University Medical Center at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27, loved ones said. Even in death, Thornton "will now save many lives," Moonachie First Aid & Rescue Squad Lt. Chris Yuhasz said. Thornton's organs were harvested following a solemn ceremony Sunday that drew a large cr…
Teen Hockey Player Killed During Game Mourned On & Off The Ice Teen Hockey Player Killed During Game Mourned On & Off The Ice
Teen Hockey Player Killed During Game Mourned On & Off The Ice The death of a young athlete who died during a collision between two hockey players on the ice during a game earlier this week is being mourned in areas near and far from both inside and outside the hockey community. Fairfield County, CT resident Teddy Balkind was 16 years old and a 10th-grader at the St. Luke’s School in New Canaan. The incident that led to his death happened around 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 6, during a junior varsity game at the Brunswick Upper School in Greenwich. Balkind fell to the ice, and another player who was near him was unable to stop, and the two collided, said G…
2 Killed When Teenage Girl Crashes Stolen Jeep In Princeton 2 Killed When Teenage Girl Crashes Stolen Jeep In Princeton
2 Killed When Teenage Girl Crashes Stolen Jeep In Princeton Two people were killed when a 15-year-old driver from Newark crashed a stolen Jeep in Mercer County, authorities said. The driver of the Jeep also left her  teenage passenger critically hurt in Sunday's head-on crash in Princeton.  Jodi Marcou, 61, of the Kendall Park section of South Brunswick, and the teen driver of the Jeep were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Princeton police. The girl's name was not released.  The 14-year-old passenger in the Jeep was in critical condition at Capital Health Regional Medical Center. He also is from Newark.  Acc…
Sedan Slams Into Fair Lawn Bank Building Sedan Slams Into Fair Lawn Bank Building
Sedan Slams Into Fair Lawn Bank Building A sedan slammed into a Fair Lawn bank building early Sunday evening, causing major damage to both. The Hyundai mounted the sidewalk, plowed through bushes and rammed the corner of the Provident Bank branch on River Road at Hopper Avenue around 5:15 p.m. The adult female driver refused medical attention for what appeared to be minor injuries. A building inspector was required to check the building for structural damage. Both the Hyundai and the Provident Bank building were severely damaged.Boyd A. Loving for DAILY VOICE Responding were borough police, firefighters and EMS and members o…
Runaway SUV In Drive Instead Of Park Plows Through Front Window Of Rita's Ice In Glen Rock Runaway SUV In Drive Instead Of Park Plows Through Front Window Of Rita's Ice In Glen Rock
Runaway SUV In Drive Instead Of Park Plows Through Front Window Of Rita's Ice In Glen Rock A Rita's ice shop in Glen Rock was open for business when an SUV plowed through the front window. Fortunately no one was hurt, police said. The BMW came crashing through the Rita's Italian Ice and Frozen Custard on Maple Avenue near the Fair Lawn border just off Route 208 shortly before 7 p.m. The Glen Rock driver, 43, who was operating with an Australian driver's license, told responding officers that he failed to realize that his vehicle was still in drive when he parked, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. The SUV also damaged a side door and some chairs and tables inside, but that was i…
Woman Seeking Cherry Hill EMT Who Saved Her Life In Crash 20 Years Ago Woman Seeking Cherry Hill EMT Who Saved Her Life In Crash 20 Years Ago
Woman Seeking Cherry Hill EMT Who Saved Her Life In Crash 20 Years Ago Beth Mazgajewski is fully healed from the crash that nearly took her life 20 years ago in every way except for one. She hasn't been able to stop thinking about the Cherry Hill EMT who saved her life. Mazgajewski recently took to Facebook to seek out the off-duty responder, calling the attempt to find him a "long shot." Mazgajewski says she was broadsided while trying to make a left turn on Haddonfield-Berlin Road exiting the TD Bank parking lot next to Vito’s pizza on Sept. 22, 2001. Well, I did not expect this post to get the attention it did but getting more eyes on it can’t hurt. …
Units Damaged In Fort Lee Condo Fire Units Damaged In Fort Lee Condo Fire
Units Damaged In Fort Lee Condo Fire Firefighters doused a Thursday afternoon blaze that damaged units on two floors of a Fort Lee condominium. Flames blew through two first-floor windows after breaking out in a crawlspace in the five-story brick Central Court Condominiums on Central Road shortly before 2 p.m. Firefighters had the two-alarm blaze knocked down in about an hour and under control before 3:30 p.m. It was later ruled accidental. No injuries were reported. Firefighters from Edgewater, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fairview, Leonia, Palisades Park and Ridgefield were among the mutual aid responders. Tony Greco took…
Foot Stuck In Snowblower In Monmouth County Foot Stuck In Snowblower In Monmouth County
Foot Stuck In Snowblower In Monmouth County First responders were called to a home in Monmouth County on a report of a foot stuck in a snowblower, authorities said.  Firefighters from Millstone helped extricate the patient's foot from the machine at 43 Carrs Tavern Road in Millstone about 4 p.m. on Monday, initial reports said.  The victim suffered "serious trauma" and was taken by EMS crews to an area hospital, reports said.  This is a developing news story. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES
Toms River PD: Mass Power Outage Was Caused By DUI Driver Who Downed Pole Igniting Brush Fire Toms River PD: Mass Power Outage Was Caused By DUI Driver Who Downed Pole Igniting Brush Fire
Toms River PD: Mass Power Outage Was Caused By DUI Driver Who Downed Pole Igniting Brush Fire A 47-year-old drunken driver is facing multiple charges for a crash that downed a utility pole, started a brush fire and caused a power massive power outage over the weekend in Toms River, authorities said. Wilfredo Flores was negotiating a curve when he answered a call on his cell phone, swerved off the roadway to the right and hit a curb at Bay Avenue and Tanglewood Road around 8 p.m. Jan. 17, Toms River police said. The impact split the pole in half and subsequently damaged a second pole due to excessive wire tension, police said. Flores fled eastbound but was soon stopped by a con…
Authorities ID Edison Commuter Struck, Killed By NJ Transit Train Authorities ID Edison Commuter Struck, Killed By NJ Transit Train
Authorities ID Edison Commuter Struck, Killed By NJ Transit Train Authorities have identified the man struck and killed by a New Jersey Transit train as a 37-year-old father from Edison. Praveen Desini was hit just east of the Edison station about 7:20 a.m. on Tuesday by Manhattan-bound Northeast Corridor train 3920, NJ Transit officials said. Desini was en route to the train station to commute to his job in New York when he was struck in a tragic accident, according to a GoFundMe.com page set up to raise money for his cremation expenses. The married father of a 2-year-old son, Desini was described on the fundraising page as a “good husband, best dad to …
Man Dies In Fall At Atlantic City Casino Man Dies In Fall At Atlantic City Casino
Man Dies In Fall At Atlantic City Casino A 30-year-old man from Upstate New York died after falling two stories to his death in an Atlantic City casino, authorities said. The man from Rochester was trying to climb over a divider when he fell from a second-level mezzanine into the lobby at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, police said. The fall occurred about 4 a.m. on Monday. Atlantic City police officers responded and found casino security performing CPR. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, a police spokesman said. Atlantic City police urged anyone with information about the fall to call its Criminal Investigations S…
Middletown Police, EMS, Firefighters Respond After Front-End Loader Strikes Town DPW Employee Middletown Police, EMS, Firefighters Respond After Front-End Loader Strikes Town DPW Employee
Middletown Police, EMS, Firefighters Respond After Front-End Loader Strikes Town DPW Employee First responders in Middletown were called Friday afternoon to a report of a life-threatening injury involving a front-end loader, authorities said. A Middletown Township DPW employee may have been struck by the heavy equipment, according to initial reports.  The victim was reported to be a township Department of Public Works employee, police said.  Both of his legs and an arm possibly were crushed by the machinery, according to an initial, unconfirmed report. The DPW employee was reportedly going into shock about 1:40 pm. and EMS was urged to respond quickly, according to an ea…