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Ocean County, NJ

'A Significant Milestone': State-Of-The-Art Veterans Medical Clinic Opening In Toms River 'A Significant Milestone': State-Of-The-Art Veterans Medical Clinic Opening In Toms River
'A Significant Milestone': State-Of-The-Art Veterans Medical Clinic Opening In Toms River A new medical clinic is about to open for Ocean County veterans, officials said. The new Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Toms River will open on Tuesday, Oct. 22, the VA said in a news release on Thursday, Oct. 9. The center is located at 1051 Hooper Avenue. The state-of-the-art facility will replace the James J. Howard Veterans' Outpatient Clinic in Brick Township, which will close on Monday, Oct. 21. All appointments after that day will be transferred to the Toms River clinic and vets will get new appointment cards with updated information. Ocean …
12 Years After Sandy, Residents Returning To Rebuilt Mantoloking Oceanfront Community 12 Years After Sandy, Residents Returning To Rebuilt Mantoloking Oceanfront Community
12 Years After Sandy, Residents Returning To Rebuilt Mantoloking Oceanfront Community Dale Parisi's third-generation cottage near the Mantoloking beachfront was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. "It was a very sad day," he said. "We had no idea what the future held for any of us. While some people cashed in their chips, I believed that someday we were going to return and rebuild." Nearly a dozen years later, Parisi moved into his new three-bedroom duplex in the Osborn Dunes at South Mantoloking community. The neighborhood off Route 35 has reopened for some new and returning residents after suffering catastrophic damage from Sandy, developer Walte…
Manchester Township Volunteer Fire Chief Sexually Assaulted Woman, Prosecutors Say Manchester Township Volunteer Fire Chief Sexually Assaulted Woman, Prosecutors Say
Manchester Township Volunteer Fire Chief Sexually Assaulted Woman, Prosecutors Say A volunteer fire chief in Manchester Township was accused of sexually assaulting a woman more than two years ago, authorities said. Michael Trimarchi, 55, of Manchester, was charged with sexual assault and criminal sexual contact, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Trimarchi is the chief of the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company, according to a Facebook post on Saturday, Sept. 21. A woman told Manchester police on Friday, Sept. 6 that Trimarchi sexually assaulted her on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022. Investigators with …
Brick Twp. Man Admits To Recording Children's Sex Acts During Video Chats, Prosecutors Say Brick Twp. Man Admits To Recording Children's Sex Acts During Video Chats, Prosecutors Say
Brick Twp. Man Admits To Recording Children's Sex Acts During Video Chats, Prosecutors Say A Brick Township man admitted to recording children performing sexual acts for him in video chats, authorities said. Christopher Budelman, 37, pleaded guilty on Friday, Oct. 4 to two counts of sexual assault, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Prosecutors said they're seeking seven years in state prison for Budelman, along with registering as a sex offender, a ban from contacting the victims, and lifetime parole supervision. The state police's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force found a person was using the …
NJ Water Company Pauses Billing After Cyberattack NJ Water Company Pauses Billing After Cyberattack
NJ Water Company Pauses Billing After Cyberattack A water utility company based in Camden said it is pausing billing in the wake of a cyberattack on Thursday, Oct. 3. American Water serves 2.8 million people in the Garden State, providing water to municipalities in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth Ocean, Salem, Somerset, Union and Warren counties. "American Water learned of unauthorized activity in our computer networks and systems," the company said in a release. "This activity has since been determined to be the result of a cybersecurity incident. In an effort to protect our …
Toms River Arsonist Started Blaze That Injured Three Firefighters, Prosecutors Say Toms River Arsonist Started Blaze That Injured Three Firefighters, Prosecutors Say
Toms River Arsonist Started Blaze That Injured Three Firefighters, Prosecutors Say A Toms River man was accused of intentionally starting a fire in Brick Township, injuring three firefighters, authorities said. Charles Maulbeck, 51, was charged with aggravated arson, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Brick Township police saw smoke and heavy fire at a home on Falkenberg Road on Friday, Sept. 13. Two firefighters were treated and released from a nearby hospital, while a third declined medical attention. Investigators said the fire started in the north side of the home's split basement by someone who used "a…
NJ Apartment Association Bookkeeper Who Stole $357K Learns Prison Sentence NJ Apartment Association Bookkeeper Who Stole $357K Learns Prison Sentence
NJ Apartment Association Bookkeeper Who Stole $357K Learns Prison Sentence A former bookkeeper for the New Jersey Apartment Association has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution for stealing $357,250 from the organization, authorities said. Karly Simon-Sapp, 50, of Plumsted Township, was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer to five years New Jersey State Prison and ordered to pay $357,520 in restitution, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. She previously had pleaded guilty to theft. Between January 2016 and January 2022, Simon-Sapp, in her capacity as a bookkeeper for the New Jersey Apartment Association, forged the …
CAPTURED: Fugitive In 2010 Brick Township Attempted Murder Arrested, Prosecutors Say CAPTURED: Fugitive In 2010 Brick Township Attempted Murder Arrested, Prosecutors Say
Captured: Fugitive In 2010 Brick Township Attempted Murder Arrested, Prosecutors Say A fugitive wanted for shooting a man in the face nearly 14 years ago in Brick Township has been captured, authorities said. Marciano Sanchez, 40, was arrested in New York City on Wednesday, Oct. 2, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Sanchez's last known address was in Queens. Sanchez was on New Jersey’s Most Wanted list after a shooting in Brick on Monday, Nov. 29, 2010. Police responded to a gunshot victim at the Community First Aid building on Mantoloking Road. Officers found a man who had been shot in the face. He was rushed to Jersey Shore Unive…
New Rankings Released: High School In Stafford Township Makes U.S. Top 50 New Rankings Released: High School In Stafford Township Makes U.S. Top 50
New Rankings Released: High School In Stafford Township Makes U.S. Top 50 Three Jersey Shore public high schools were recognized among the 100 best in the U.S., according to an education data website. Niche has released its 2025 Best Public High Schools in America list. The website said its rankings are based on "rigorous analysis of key statistics," U.S. Department of Education data, and millions of reviews from students and parents. Five of the top 50 high schools in the U.S. were from New Jersey, including two on the Jersey Shore. Bergen County Academies in Hackensack was the top school in the Garden State and 20th nationally…
Toms River Sex Offender Assaulted Girl Who Needed Ride To Animal Shelter, Prosecutors Say Toms River Sex Offender Assaulted Girl Who Needed Ride To Animal Shelter, Prosecutors Say
Toms River Sex Offender Assaulted Girl Who Needed Ride To Animal Shelter, Prosecutors Say A Toms River man was accused of sexually assaulting a teen who asked him for a ride, authorities said. Keith Hahn, 46, was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 1, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He was charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, kidnapping, luring, and endangering the welfare of a child. Investigators said the 14-year-old girl got lost while she walked along Route 70 in Manchester Township on Sunday, Sept. 29. A man driving a white Jeep Grand Cherokee stopped and talked to her. The girl a…
Jackson Township Man Sentenced For Sharing, Downloading Child Porn: Prosecutors Jackson Township Man Sentenced For Sharing, Downloading Child Porn: Prosecutors
Jackson Township Man Sentenced For Sharing, Downloading Child Porn: Prosecutors A Jackson Township will spend several years in prison after admitting to sharing child pornography, authorities said. Andrew Anastasio, 60, was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 27 to five years in state prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He'll also have to register as a sex offender and receive lifetime parole supervision.  The investigation began when state police received tips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children about someone sending and receiving child porn pictures. County investigators then identified Anasta…
Woman Critically Injured Man, 75, In Seaside Heights Hit-And-Run Crash: Prosecutors Woman Critically Injured Man, 75, In Seaside Heights Hit-And-Run Crash: Prosecutors
Woman Critically Injured Man, 75, In Seaside Heights Hit-And-Run Crash: Prosecutors A Seaside Park woman was accused of critically injuring an elderly man in a hit-and-run crash in Seaside Heights, authorities said. Genell Mcinaw, 50, was charged with knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in serious bodily injury to another person, Ocean County First Assistant Prosecutor Michael Nolan Jr. said in a news release on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Seaside Heights police responded to a report of a man lying in the road near the intersection of Dupont Avenue and the Boulevard at around 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23. Officers found the 75…
Driver Wanted, Pedestrian Critically Injured In Toms River Hit-And-Run: Prosecutors Driver Wanted, Pedestrian Critically Injured In Toms River Hit-And-Run: Prosecutors
Driver Wanted, Pedestrian Critically Injured In Toms River Hit-And-Run: Prosecutors Police were searching for whoever critically injured a pedestrian in a hit-and-run crash in Toms River, authorities said. The crash happened near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Mobile Lane at around 9:38 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Investigators said a car was heading north on Massachusetts when it struck a man and left the scene. The pedestrian was rushed to Community Medical Center and was listed in critical but stable condition. The car involved in the hit-and-run is belie…
Manchester Township Cocaine Dealer Gets 10 Years In Prison, Prosecutors Say Manchester Township Cocaine Dealer Gets 10 Years In Prison, Prosecutors Say
Manchester Township Cocaine Dealer Gets 10 Years In Prison, Prosecutors Say A Manchester Township man will spend a decade in prison for selling cocaine, authorities said. Robert Murray Jr., 61, was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 20 to ten years in state prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He pleaded guilty on Monday, May 6 to possession of more than one-half ounce but less than five ounces of cocaine with intent to distribute. Investigators said police stopped Murray while he was driving in Lakewood on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. Officers found about 71 grams of cocaine in his vehicle and he was arrested. Police also execut…
Five Arrested In Heroin, Cocaine, Meth Bust In Ocean County: Prosecutors Five Arrested In Heroin, Cocaine, Meth Bust In Ocean County: Prosecutors
Five Arrested In Heroin, Cocaine, Meth Bust In Ocean County: Prosecutors Five people from Ocean County were accused of selling heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, authorities said. The five were taken into custody during a month-long investigation into drug dealing, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Friday, Sept. 20. Investigators identified a home on Bear Hollow Court in Little Egg Harbor used for the drug sales and established surveillance. John Pecoreno, 40, and Elysia Sullins, 23, both of Little Egg Harbor, were seen leaving the home and driving away from the area on Friday, September 6. Investigators contin…
Trio Indicted In Plot To Murder Man In Jackson Township, Prosecutors Say Trio Indicted In Plot To Murder Man In Jackson Township, Prosecutors Say
Trio Indicted In Plot To Murder Man In Jackson Township, Prosecutors Say A grand jury indicted three men accused of plotting to shoot and kill another man in Jackson Township, authorities said. Michael Vulpis of Freehold Borough, Noah Phelps of Monroe Township, and Glenn Franzson of Jackson Township were indicted on Wednesday, Sept. 18, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. The three 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 treat…
OceanFirst Bank Agrees To $15M Settlement For Redlining In Ocean County, Feds Say OceanFirst Bank Agrees To $15M Settlement For Redlining In Ocean County, Feds Say
OceanFirst Bank Agrees To $15M Settlement For Redlining In Ocean County, Feds Say A Jersey Shore bank will pay more than $15 million in a settlement for racially discriminatory lending practices known as redlining, authorities said. OceanFirst Bank agreed to the settlement to resolve the accusations that date back to 2018, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. The Toms River-based bank was accused of redlining in predominantly non-white neighborhoods in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties. The $15 million settlement came after the Department of Justice launched its Combating Redlining Initiative in October 2021, aiming to s…
Ocean County Landlords Among 25 Facing Fines For Considering Tenants' Criminal Histories Ocean County Landlords Among 25 Facing Fines For Considering Tenants' Criminal Histories
Ocean County Landlords Among 25 Facing Fines For Considering Tenants' Criminal Histories Twenty-five landlords are facing fines after state officials said they violated state laws by considering potential tenants' criminal histories. According to NJ Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR), the notices of violation allege that the housing providers violated the law by, among other things, asking criminal history-related questions on housing applications that are prohibited by the law. The Notices of Violation announced Monday, Sept. 16 were served on housing providers located in 15 municipalities across Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, C…
Barnegat Drug Dealer With Stolen Gun Sentenced, Prosecutors Say Barnegat Drug Dealer With Stolen Gun Sentenced, Prosecutors Say
Barnegat Drug Dealer With Stolen Gun Sentenced, Prosecutors Say A Barnegat Township man will spend several years in prison after admitting to having heroin, cocaine, and a stolen gun, authorities said. Quaison Ellis, 25, was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 13 to 10 years in state prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He pleaded guilty on Monday, July 15 to several charges related to two incidents. Investigators established surveillance outside a home on Hawthorne Lane in Barnegat on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. Ellis was seen leaving the home and then entered a vehicle's front passenger seat. Detectives fol…
Brick Township Cocaine Dealer Gets 10-Year Prison Sentence, Prosecutors Say Brick Township Cocaine Dealer Gets 10-Year Prison Sentence, Prosecutors Say
Brick Township Cocaine Dealer Gets 10-Year Prison Sentence, Prosecutors Say A Brick Township man will spend a decade in prison after having more than 100 grams of cocaine and nearly $20,000 in cash, authorities said. Ezra Wheeler, 27, was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 13 to 10 years in state prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He pleaded guilty on Monday, July 15 to possession of more than one half-ounce but less than five ounces of cocaine with intent to distribute. Brick Township police established surveillance on a Coventry Court home as part of a drug investigation on Thursday, June 8, 2023. Detectives saw …
Barnegat Ex-Con Pleads Guilty To Cocaine, Gun Charges: Prosecutors Barnegat Ex-Con Pleads Guilty To Cocaine, Gun Charges: Prosecutors
Barnegat Ex-Con Pleads Guilty To Cocaine, Gun Charges: Prosecutors A Barnegat ex-convict admitted to selling cocaine and having a gun, authorities said. Clifford Holland, 48, pleaded guilty on Monday, Sept. 9 to two charges, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Wednesday, Sept. 11. He was arrested in Barnegat on Friday, Feb. 23. Police executed a search warrant at a home on Gunning River Road. Detectives seized an undisclosed amount of cocaine and a .22-caliber revolver. Holland was taken into custody at the scene. He's been held in the Ocean County Jail since his arrest. Holland pleaded guilty to posses…
Campfire Accidentally Sparked Fishers Pit Wildfire In Bayville, Investigators Say Campfire Accidentally Sparked Fishers Pit Wildfire In Bayville, Investigators Say
Campfire Accidentally Sparked Fishers Pit Wildfire In Bayville, Investigators Say 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 Diminishes As Crews Begin Containing Fishers Pit Wildfire In Bayville (UPDATE) Smoke Diminishes As Crews Begin Containing Fishers Pit Wildfire In Bayville (UPDATE)
Smoke Diminishes As Crews Begin Containing Fishers Pit Wildfire In Bayville (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 …
Late-Night Wildfire Breaks Out At Fishers Pit In Bayville, Firefighters Say (DEVELOPING) Late-Night Wildfire Breaks Out At Fishers Pit In Bayville, Firefighters Say (DEVELOPING)
Late-Night Wildfire Breaks Out At Fishers Pit In Bayville, Firefighters Say (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 South Seaside Park Pool Dies On Labor Day: Investigators Four-Year-Old Pulled From South Seaside Park Pool Dies On Labor Day: Investigators
Four-Year-Old Pulled From South Seaside Park Pool Dies On Labor Day: Investigators 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…
Manahawkin Bay Boater Struck By Propeller, Sucked Under Water: Police Manahawkin Bay Boater Struck By Propeller, Sucked Under Water: Police
Manahawkin Bay 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…
Bridge Over Manasquan River Near Lakewood Closed For Emergency Repairs Bridge Over Manasquan River Near Lakewood Closed For Emergency Repairs
Bridge Over Manasquan River Near Lakewood Closed For Emergency Repairs A bridge connecting Monmouth and Ocean counties was closed after inspectors discovered it needed emergency repairs, officials said. The bridge on Allenwood-Lakewood Road over the Manasquan River in Wall Township was shut down to traffic on Thursday, Aug. 29, according to a Monmouth County news release. Bridge W-3 is located near Robert L. Brice Memorial Park and about a half-mile south of Atlantic Avenue in Allenwood. The county said a routine inspection uncovered problems with the bridge deck and engineers are evaluating how to quickly and safely reopen it. "Monmouth County is c…
Brick Township Man Who Had 157 Cats At Home Indicted, Prosecutors Say Brick Township Man Who Had 157 Cats At Home Indicted, Prosecutors Say
Brick Township Man Who Had 157 Cats At Home Indicted, Prosecutors Say A Brick Township man was indicted after more than 150 cats were found in his home, authorities said. A grand jury indicted 56-year-old Jeffrey Finlay on Wednesday, Aug. 28 for 149 counts of animal cruelty, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Finlay called Brick police to help remove the animals from his house on Thursday, May 4, 2023. Officers found about 157 cats and three dogs at the Mantoloking Road home. It took crews about 24 hours for the pets to be removed and brought to county animal facilities for treatment. Finlay was first charge…
Lakewood Man, 39, Drowns In Delaware Water Gap Lakewood Man, 39, Drowns In Delaware Water Gap
Lakewood 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…