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Officer Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding Englewood Man During Struggle Officer Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding Englewood Man During Struggle
Officer Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding Englewood Man During Struggle UPDATE: An Englewood police officer was justified in shooting a man who'd just stabbed three people, a grand jury ruled on Monday, April 22, following a state-required review. Chilling bodycam videos clearly show Englewood Police Officer Luana Sharpe and other officers were struggling over a knife with 22-year-old city resident Bernard Placide when she shot him on Labor Day 2022. A grand jury review was nonetheless required under New Jersey law because Placide died during an encounter with law enforcement. Evidence was collected by investigators with the state Office of Public Integrity an…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Motorcyclist Killed In NJ Crash With State Trooper Was 'Sublimely Talented' Guitarist Motorcyclist Killed In NJ Crash With State Trooper Was 'Sublimely Talented' Guitarist
Motorcyclist Killed In NJ Crash With State Trooper Was 'Sublimely Talented' Guitarist They called him Frankie Fender. Frank Lando, that is: The 65-year-old Toms River motorcyclist, guitarist, and father killed in an April 9 crash in Southampton with a New Jersey state trooper. On Friday, April 19, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin released Lando's identity, as well as that of the trooper involved: Anthony Fernandes. Fernandes was conducting routine patrol duties along Route 70 around 11:35 a.m. in Southampton that day, when his marked patrol car collided with Lando's motorcycle near Burrs Mill Road, Platkin said. Lando was taken to Virtua Mount Holly …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Scooter Rider Killed In Jersey Shore Crash Involving Police Officer, State AG Says Scooter Rider Killed In Jersey Shore Crash Involving Police Officer, State AG Says
Scooter Rider Killed In Jersey Shore Crash Involving Police Officer, State AG Says A man riding a motorized scooter was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Route 35 in Monmouth County that involved a local police officer, state authorities said. The crash occurred on the highway's southbound side near Sunset Avenue in Ocean Township shortly after 9 p.m. Monday, April 15, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said on Tuesday. The identity of the scooter rider, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was temporarily being withheld, as was the name of the on-duty Ocean Township officer, Platkin said. Neither the officer nor anyone else involved in the crash was injured, …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Victim's Fingers Cut Off During Attack In Perth Amboy Victim's Fingers Cut Off During Attack In Perth Amboy
Victim's Fingers Cut Off During Attack In Perth Amboy A victim had his fingers cut off during an attack in Perth Amboy, authorities said. The man also was slashed, according to a spokeswoman for Perth Amboy City Hall. Police were called to Riverview Drive under the Victory Bridge at about 11:15 p.m. Sunday, April 14 and found the injured man, the spokeswoman said.  The man, who does not reside in Perth Amboy, was brought to an area hospital. Additional details were not available.

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
NO CHOICE: Police Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding NJ Man, Grand Jury Finds NO CHOICE: Police Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding NJ Man, Grand Jury Finds
NO Choice: Police Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding NJ Man, Grand Jury Finds UPDATE: Police were justified in shooting a New Jersey man seen on bodycam video charging at an officer with a knife, a grand jury investigation required by state law found. Luke Mendez, 26, had his wrapped around the knife handle as he barreled down the steps of an Old Bridge home last April 24. Mendez was only two steps from the landing -- less than three feet from an Old Bridge officer -- when he left police no choice. Mendez was pronounced dead at a local hospital about 90 minutes later. Grand jurors reviewed various evidence but didn't really need any more than the bodycam video…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Motorcyclist Killed In Crash With New Jersey State Police Car In South Jersey: AG Motorcyclist Killed In Crash With New Jersey State Police Car In South Jersey: AG
Motorcyclist Killed In Crash With New Jersey State Police Car In South Jersey: AG A motorcyclist was killed in a collision involving an on-duty New Jersey State Police trooper in South Jersey Tuesday, April 9, state officials said. An on-duty state trooper was conducting routine patrol duties on Route 70 in Southampton, when the vehicle "was involved in a collision" with a civilian motorcycle near Burrs Mill Road  New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said. The motorcyclist was taken to Virtua Mount Holly Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 12:45 p.m. The state trooper involved in the collision did not sufferer significant injuries,…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Toms River Man Sentenced For Dealing Heroin Throughout Ocean County Toms River Man Sentenced For Dealing Heroin Throughout Ocean County
Toms River Man Sentenced For Dealing Heroin Throughout Ocean County A Toms River man was sentenced after admitting to selling heroin throughout Ocean County, authorities said. Zachary Lockwood, 25, was sentenced on Friday, Apr. 5 to 10 years in prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced in a news release. He'll be eligible for parole after five years. Lockwood pleaded guilty to possession of one-half ounce or more of heroin with intent to distribute, being a certain person not to possess a weapon, and resisting arrest on Monday, Feb. 12. He also pleaded guilty to an unrelated eluding charge from a second incident. Toms River…

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by Chris Spiker
News
60 Protestors Arrested In Demo That Shut Down I-676 In Philadelphia: State Police 60 Protestors Arrested In Demo That Shut Down I-676 In Philadelphia: State Police
60 Protestors Arrested In Demo That Shut Down I-676 In Philadelphia: State Police More than 60 people have been arrested in connection with a protest that completely shutdown I-676 in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon, March 30, authorities said. The protestors were from the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and ran onto the highway at Broad Street around 4 p.m., causing disruptions to traffic flow, Philadelphia police said at the time. On Sunday, March 31, Pennsylvania State Police released a list of towns and ages of those arrested, all who were charged with disorderly conduct. Thirty-nine of them were from Philadelphia with a others from Trappe, Downingtown, Lansd…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
COLD CASE: Information Wanted In 1996 Killing Of Jersey Shore Convenience Store Owner COLD CASE: Information Wanted In 1996 Killing Of Jersey Shore Convenience Store Owner
Cold CASE: Information Wanted In 1996 Killing Of Jersey Shore Convenience Store Owner Police in Monmouth County are looking for help finding whoever killed a convenience store owner nearly 30 years ago, authorities said. In a news release on Thursday, Mar. 28, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said law enforcement is looking for new information about the 1996 death of Smita Amin Patel. The 35-year-old from Tinton Falls was killed inside the Little Brown Jug convenience store at the Gables Shopping Center on Route 33 in Neptune City. Investigators said Patel and her husband were co-owners of the store that's across the street from Jersey Shore University M…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Three Arrested With Heroin, Cocaine, Loaded Gun In Atlantic City: Police Three Arrested With Heroin, Cocaine, Loaded Gun In Atlantic City: Police
Three Arrested With Heroin, Cocaine, Loaded Gun In Atlantic City: Police Three people from Atlantic City were arrested after they were found with drugs and a gun, authorities said. In a news release, Atlantic City police said 23-year-old Semaj Poteat, 26-year-old Laquanda Barley, and 23-year-old Tyjur Blocker were arrested on Thursday, Mar. 21. The arrests come after a one-month investigation into drug dealing in the city. Police executed a search warrant on the first block of South Kentucky Avenue. As Poteat left the apartment building, he was taken into custody because he had an outstanding warrant. Inside the apartment, police found a loaded h…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Schools Shelter In Place Amid Investigation Into Possibly Armed NJ Student: Cops Schools Shelter In Place Amid Investigation Into Possibly Armed NJ Student: Cops
Schools Shelter In Place Amid Investigation Into Possibly Armed NJ Student: Cops An investigation into a student who was believed to have been armed with a gun had some schools sheltering in place Friday, March 22, police said. The investigation began around 12:10 p.m., when officers were called to investigate a student "acting suspiciously" at a school in Perth Amboy, local police said. The student was believed to have been headed toward another school looking for another student, police said. The student was taken into custody and was found to not have been armed, police said. The shelter in place was lifted later in the day. The investigation is ongoing.

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
What Are The Chances? PAPD Nabs Back-To-Back Lincoln Tunnel Toll Evaders Who Owe $472G Combined What Are The Chances? PAPD Nabs Back-To-Back Lincoln Tunnel Toll Evaders Who Owe $472G Combined
What Are The Chances? Papd Nabs Back-To-Back Lincoln Tunnel Toll Evaders Who Owe $472G Combined Go figure. It didn't take long for a crackdown on toll evaders to snag two major violators, both of them at the Lincoln Tunnel -- and on the same day, no less. Port Authority police stopped a New Jersey-based D. Rubio’s Express truck for having "unclear" license plates and found 1,811 "known unpaid violations," Spokeswoman Lenis Valens said. Total unpaid tolls and fees: $214,000. The driver also received three summonses for unclear plates (front and rear) and an expired diesel emissions test, Valens said. Later that day, officers stopped another vehicle without a front plate, she said. …

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by Jerry DeMarco