NJ Supermarket Celebrates Selling $1.13B Mega Millions Ticket: 'Thrilled For This Community' NJ Supermarket Celebrates Selling $1.13B Mega Millions Ticket: 'Thrilled For This Community'
NJ Supermarket Celebrates Selling $1.13B Mega Millions Ticket: 'Thrilled For This Community' A Jersey Shore supermarket celebrated selling the ticket that earned someone the largest lottery jackpot in the Garden State's history. The New Jersey Lottery said the winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased at ShopRite Wine & Spirits on Route 66 in Neptune. The jackpot reached $1.13 billion in the drawing on Tuesday, Mar. 26. The NJ Lottery held a news conference at the grocery store to formally announce the lucky ticket on Wednesday, Mar. 27. "I used to live in Neptune," said NJ Lottery executive director James Carey. "I live right down the street right now in Monmouth County…
Man Tried To Abduct Teen Girl, Groped Woman In South Jersey Crime Spree: Prosecutors Man Tried To Abduct Teen Girl, Groped Woman In South Jersey Crime Spree: Prosecutors
Man Tried To Abduct Teen Girl, Groped Woman In South Jersey Crime Spree: Prosecutors A Monmouth County man was accused of trying to kidnap a teen girl and groping a woman in a Target parking lot as part of a two-county crime spree, authorities said. Quamel Benton, 35, of Farmingdale, was arrested on Friday, Mar. 22, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He was charged with attempted kidnapping, luring, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal sexual contact, two counts of eluding, resisting arrest, and obstruction. Lakewood police responded to a report of an attempted kidnapping near Forest Park Circle at around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Ma…
Toms River Teacher Who Sent Inappropriate Pics To Student, Took Classroom Nudes Sentenced Toms River Teacher Who Sent Inappropriate Pics To Student, Took Classroom Nudes Sentenced
Toms River Teacher Who Sent Inappropriate Pics To Student, Took Classroom Nudes Sentenced A former Toms River teacher will spend time in prison after admitting to sending inappropriate Snapchat pictures to a student and posting sexual photos of himself in his classroom, authorities said. Kyle Banner, 49, of Brick Township, was sentenced on Friday, Mar. 22 to four months in Ocean County Jail, county prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced in a news release. He was a teacher at Toms River Intermediate North (TRIN) and Ocean County College. Banner pleaded guilty on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, to three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. As part of his plea, Banner…
Jersey Shore Man Admits To Robbing Pharmacy With Knife: Prosecutors Jersey Shore Man Admits To Robbing Pharmacy With Knife: Prosecutors
Jersey Shore Man Admits To Robbing Pharmacy With Knife: Prosecutors An Ocean County man admitted to pulling a knife on a pharmacy employee in a robbery, authorities said. Christopher Hurley, 27, of Little Egg Harbor, pleaded guilty to robbery on Monday, Mar. 18, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Prosecutors are seeking a 12-year prison sentence for Hurley and he would have to serve more than 10 years before being eligible for parole under the No Early Release Act. Berkeley Township police responded to an armed robbery report at the Rite Aid on Route 9 on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022. Officers said a man entered the pharmacy, pointe…
Two Single Mothers Lose Homes In Toms River Fire: Campaigns Two Single Mothers Lose Homes In Toms River Fire: Campaigns
Two Single Mothers Lose Homes In Toms River Fire: Campaigns Two single mothers in Toms River are looking for help after a multi-family home was destroyed by a fire, according to fundraising campaigns. A firefighter was taken to the hospital for evaluation after falling at the scene of a two-story house fire on Bergen Avenue at around 2:04 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 9. The Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention said no one else was injured and two cats were found safe. Firefighters were able to quickly put out the flames and remained on the scene for about 90 minutes. The home was ruled as an unsafe structure by the township's building department…
Firefighter Injured, House Destroyed By Fire In Toms River Firefighter Injured, House Destroyed By Fire In Toms River
Firefighter Injured, House Destroyed By Fire In Toms River A firefighter was injured while battling a fire that destroyed a house in Toms River, emergency officials said. Crews responded to the fire at a home on Bergen Avenue at around 2:04 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 9, the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention said in a news release. The fire was on the second floor of the house. A firefighter suffered a minor injury when falling at the fire scene. The firefighter was brought to the hospital to be evaluated. Everyone inside the home got out of the building uninjured. The Red Cross said it was helping a family of three with housing and other immediate …
Toms River Dad Robert Catalfamo Dies Suddenly, 43 Toms River Dad Robert Catalfamo Dies Suddenly, 43
Toms River Dad Robert Catalfamo Dies Suddenly, 43 Robert Michael Catalfamo, of Toms River, died suddenly on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Community Medical Center, according to an obituary published by McCriskin-Gustafson Family of Funeral Homes and a GoFundMe campaign. He was 43 years old. Nearly $20,000 was raised for medical and funeral expenses by the GoFundMe page as of Thursday, March 7. Rob was a 1999 graduate of South Plainfield High School, his obituary said. Rob lived in Jersey City and later began a career in hospitality, and eventually to Albany, NY, where he worked for the New York Board of Health, according to his obit. Rob …
Fentanyl, Heroin, Ecstasy Seized In South Jersey Drug Bust, Four Arrested Fentanyl, Heroin, Ecstasy Seized In South Jersey Drug Bust, Four Arrested
Fentanyl, Heroin, Ecstasy Seized In South Jersey Drug Bust, Four Arrested Four people were accused of selling several drugs throughout Ocean County, including heroin and fentanyl, authorities said. The people arrested were 33-year-old Orthis Allen of Bayville, 33-year-old Ashley Banks of Brick, and two 23-year-olds from Toms River, Lauren Torres and Anthony Martinez. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced the four arrests in a news release on Tuesday, Mar. 5. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents helped Ocean County investigators and local police in a two-month-long investigation into illegal drugs sold throughout Ocean County. The investi…
Harley Davidson Operator, 46, Killed In Parkway Crash Harley Davidson Operator, 46, Killed In Parkway Crash
Harley Davidson Operator, 46, Killed In Parkway Crash A Monmouth County man was killed after crashing his motorcycle on the Garden State Parkway, authorities said. State police said 46-year-old Tyrone Sapp of Neptune died in Toms River on Sunday, Mar. 3. Troopers responded to the crash on the northbound side of the parkway near milepost 83.6 at around 6:50 p.m. Investigators said Sapp went off the left side of the road, hit a guardrail, and flipped over his Harley-Davidson. He was killed when he was thrown off the motorcycle. Police also said the crash remained under investigation.
Sadness Spreads Following Death Of NJ Realtor Blake Pierce, 36 Sadness Spreads Following Death Of NJ Realtor Blake Pierce, 36
Sadness Spreads Following Death Of NJ Realtor Blake Pierce, 36 The death of Blake Pierce, a 36-year-old realtor, is breaking hearts across New Jersey. The Shrewsbury resident, formerly of Toms River, died on Feb. 18, 2024, his obituary on the Silverton Memorial Website says.  Blake had been working as the director of coaching for Re-Max First in East Brunswick, his obituary says. His profile shows he was a realtor at KW City Life Hoboken. His coworkers are deeply impacted by his loss. "I always thought I could learn from you a different day," one wrote on Instagram. "You would be there next week sharing your knowledge, insight and laughing all the wa…
Toms River Ex-Con Who Threatened To Kill Man, Had Fentanyl Sentenced: Prosecutors Toms River Ex-Con Who Threatened To Kill Man, Had Fentanyl Sentenced: Prosecutors
Toms River Ex-Con Who Threatened To Kill Man, Had Fentanyl Sentenced: Prosecutors A Toms River ex-convict will spend more than a decade in prison after punching a man and pulling a gun on him, authorities said. Raphael Powell, 37, was sentenced on Friday, Mar. 1 to 25 years in state prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced in a news release. A jury found Powell guilty of seven charges on Wednesday, Jan. 10. Toms River police responded to a man who was assaulted while entering a home on Rory Road at around 11 p.m. on Saturday, July 2, 2022. The victim told officers that another man approached him and asked what he was doing in t…
Thieves Steal Several Catalytic Converters In Toms River Neighborhood: Police Thieves Steal Several Catalytic Converters In Toms River Neighborhood: Police
Thieves Steal Several Catalytic Converters In Toms River Neighborhood: Police Toms River police are warning residents after a string of catalytic converter thefts over two days, authorities said. Suspects cut catalytic converters from six vehicles in a neighborhood near Garden State Parkway exit 83, Toms River police said in a Facebook post on Thursday, Feb. 29. The vehicles were parked on Colonial Drive, Curtis Place, Morristown Drive, Ivan Court, and Hilltop Drive. The affected vehicles included two Volkswagen Jettas, a Kia Soul, a Kia Sorento, a Kia Sportage, and a Honda Accord. Police released a photo of a white SUV suspected of being involved in t…