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Public Safety

Reassuring Bergen County Dispatcher Erik Midgley, Man Of Many Talents, Dies Suddenly, 47 Reassuring Bergen County Dispatcher Erik Midgley, Man Of Many Talents, Dies Suddenly, 47
Reassuring Bergen County Dispatcher Erik Midgley, Man Of Many Talents, Dies Suddenly, 47 Erik J. Midgley, a dedicated Bergen County Public Safety dispatcher and lifelong community volunteer, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, Nov. 10, according to his obituary on the Hunt-Stellato Funeral Home website. He was 47 years old. Known for his reassuring presence during emergencies, Erik spent many years as the calming voice on the other end of the line for those in crisis, his obituary says. His legacy includes years of volunteer work with the Palisades Park and Fairview Ambulance Corps. Erik worked as a public servant for more than 25 years, including 19 with the Bergen County…
Air Quality Levels Improve, 3,000-Acre Wildfire Still Raging In West Milford Air Quality Levels Improve, 3,000-Acre Wildfire Still Raging In West Milford
Air Quality Levels Improve, 3,000-Acre Wildfire Still Raging In West Milford A sprawling wildfire, now covering 3,000 acres, continues to burn through West Milford Monday, Nov. 11, however, air quality levels across the region have improved. The Jennings Creek Wildfire threatens 24 structures across both New Jersey and New York, including two homes in New Jersey, eight historic buildings in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District, and 14 structures on East Shore Road in Greenwood Lake, NY, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. As of the latest update, the fire is only 10% contained, prompting officials to close East Shore and Beech Roads, along with all tr…
2,500-Acre Jennings Creek Wildfire Continues To Burn, Cannonball 3 Wildfire Mostly Contained 2,500-Acre Jennings Creek Wildfire Continues To Burn, Cannonball 3 Wildfire Mostly Contained
2,500-Acre Jennings Creek Wildfire Continues To Burn, Cannonball 3 Wildfire Mostly Contained A massive wildfire spanning 2,500 acres is burning through West Milford, NJ, and into Orange County, NY, threatening homes and historic sites as firefighters battle to contain it.  Known as the Jennings Creek Wildfire, the blaze has put two residential buildings in New Jersey and 14 structures on East Shore Road in New York at risk, along with eight historic buildings in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said in the latest update Sunday morning, Nov. 10. Good Morning West Milford, Today Forest Fire will begin back burn operations in the …
18-Year-Old Parks Worker Dies Battling Wildfire At Sterling Forest 18-Year-Old Parks Worker Dies Battling Wildfire At Sterling Forest
18-Year-Old Parks Worker Dies Battling Wildfire At Sterling Forest A teenage New York State Parks and Recreation worker died battling one of the latest in a rash of wildfires in the region. Click here for a new, updated story - 18-Year-Old Killed In Wildfire At Sterling Forest Remembered As HS Baseball Standout The blaze broke out in Orange County at Sterling Forest State Park in Tuxedo on Saturday, Nov. 9, and spread into parts of neighboring New Jersey. He's been identified as 18-year-old Dariel Vasquez, police said. Vasquez suffered fatal injuries after a tree fell, according to the New York Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Pr…
Wildfire Smoke Blankets North Jersey As Pompton Lakes Blaze Grows To 100 Acres Wildfire Smoke Blankets North Jersey As Pompton Lakes Blaze Grows To 100 Acres
Pompton Lakes Wildfire Blankets NJ With Smoke Residents across North Jersey are facing worsening air quality due to smoke from a major wildfire burning in Pompton Lakes.  UPDATE: Unhealthy Air Quality Levels Reported In North Jersey As New 1,800-Acre Wildfire Rages Smoke from the Pompton Lakes wildfire. North Jersey Video Service or NJVS Dubbed the "Cannonball 3 Wildfire," the blaze has expanded to 100 acres with no containment, as per the latest update from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. By late Friday night, Nov. 8, smoke from the raging Passaic County wildfire drifted as far as Fair Lawn, Hackensack, New Milfo…
Thomas Adamo Elected Passaic County Sheriff, Vows To Serve Community He Calls Home Thomas Adamo Elected Passaic County Sheriff, Vows To Serve Community He Calls Home
Thomas Adamo Elected Passaic County Sheriff, Vows To Serve Community He Calls Home Passaic County voters have chosen Democrat Thomas Adamo as their new sheriff, filling the position left vacant by the late Sheriff Richard Berdnik.  A lifelong Passaic County resident, Adamo won the election with 94,157 votes, while Maria Saracino, a detective captain with the county prosecutor's office, garnered 80,135. The role has been vacant since January when then-Sheriff Richard Berdnik died by suicide in the bathroom of a Clifton restaurant. Adamo’s career reflects his dedication and steady rise within law enforcement. Starting as a corrections officer with the Passai…
Girl Critical After Being Shot By Boy At Ridgefield Park Apartment Complex: Prosecutor (UPDATE) Girl Critical After Being Shot By Boy At Ridgefield Park Apartment Complex: Prosecutor (UPDATE)
Girl Critical After Being Shot By Boy At Ridgefield Park Apartment Complex: Prosecutor (Update) A 16-year-old boy has been charged in connection with a shooting that left a 15-year-old in critical condition Wednesday night, Nov. 5 in Ridgefield Park, authorities said. Police called to the garden apartments along Teaneck Road around 7:25 p.m. and found the girl with a gunshot wound to her back, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. The girl was hospitalized where she remains in critical condition. The 16-year-old boy at the scene was arrested and charged following an investigation that found he had fired the gun. While initial reports said the shooting had been accidental, M…
'Deranged' Man Attacks Nanny, Curses At Kids In Hoboken Park On Halloween: Police, Campaign 'Deranged' Man Attacks Nanny, Curses At Kids In Hoboken Park On Halloween: Police, Campaign
'Deranged' Man Attacks Nanny, Curses At Kids In Hoboken Park On Halloween: Police, Campaign A 31-year-old man was arrested after police say he was cursing at children and then attacked a nanny in a Hoboken park on Thursday, Oct. 31, Halloween, according to police and the nanny's family. Officers were called to Church Square Park around 12:30 p.m. where a man later identified Troy Timberlake had been cursing at children and elderly people, Hoboken City spokeswoman Marci Rubin. Timberlake then began hitting people, including a woman identified by a local family on a GoFundMe campaign as "B." "A deranged man assaulted her in broad daylight in front of many people and kids," the…
Man Who Accidentally Shot Himself Saved By 3 Paramus Officers Man Who Accidentally Shot Himself Saved By 3 Paramus Officers
Man Who Accidentally Shot Himself Saved By 3 Paramus Officers Three fast-acting Paramus police officers saved a 73-year-old man who accidentally shot himself Wednesday night, Oct. 30. The officers were called to the Summit Drive home around 10:40 p.m., where the man had shot himself in the leg, Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti said. Officers Nicholas Perna and Hugo Rodriguez forced their way into the home and applied a tourniquet to control bleeding, Guidetti said.  Officer Vincent Labarbiera then used Quick Clot to pack the entry wound and applied direct pressure, halting the bleeding until Paramus EMS arrived and transported the man to Hac…
Arsonist Charged With Starting Bergen County Brush Fire During Critical Time Arsonist Charged With Starting Bergen County Brush Fire During Critical Time
Arsonist Charged With Starting Bergen County Brush Fire During Critical Time A 27-year-old man has been arrested on accusations he started a brush fire over the weekend while the state was under a Stage 3 fire restriction in Lyndhurst, police said. Officers were called to the 600 block of Fourth Street on reports of a small brush fire around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, Lyndhurst Police Detective Lt. Vincent Auteri said. The fire had already been extinguished by a local resident, but a witness said he saw a man start the blaze before walking away, Auteri said. The witness provided a detailed description of the suspect, whom responding officers were able t…
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…
Hudson County Officer In Deadly Secaucus Crash Won't Be Indicted: AG (VIDEO) Hudson County Officer In Deadly Secaucus Crash Won't Be Indicted: AG (VIDEO)
Hudson County Officer In Deadly Secaucus Crash Won't Be Indicted: AG (Video) A state grand jury declined to file criminal charges in the death of motorcyclist who was fleeing police in Secaucus in August 2023, authorities said. On Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, Hudson County Sheriff Officer Andrew Conti attempted to stop a motorcycle, operated by Reymis Geronimo-Segura, a 28-year-old North Bergen resident, for motor vehicle violations, State Attorney General Matthew Platkin said (click here for bodyworn camera footage of the incident). Conti observed the motorcycle in the area of Paul Amico Way and Seaview Drive, Platkin said.  Conti followed the motorcycle on Count…
NJ Man, 45, Who Took Upskirt Photos Of Females 13 To 57 Released: Police NJ Man, 45, Who Took Upskirt Photos Of Females 13 To 57 Released: Police
NJ Man, 45, Who Took Upskirt Photos Of Females 13 To 57 Released: Police A 45-year-old Passaic County man is facing charges after police say he was caught taking upskirt photos underneath females' skirts and dresses in a Morris County store. Christopher Smith, of Ringwood, was seen in a Hanover business using his cell phone to record underneath the victims' skirts and dresses, police said.   He then would place his cell phone in a handbasket facing up, and then, he would hold the handbasket low to the ground, walk up behind his victims, and record up their skirt or dress, police said.  The store’s loss prevention assisted in identifying the victi…
Man In NJ Police Station Calls 9-1-1 Over Scented Candle — And It Didn't Stop There, Cops Say Man In NJ Police Station Calls 9-1-1 Over Scented Candle — And It Didn't Stop There, Cops Say
Man In NJ Police Station Calls 9-1-1 Over Scented Candle — And It Didn't Stop There, Cops Say A 34-year-old Hudson County man was jailed after police said he walked into a local police station and called 9-1-1 over a scented candle, and continued with similar behavior until he was jailed later that day, police said. Alfredo Gonzalez, of Guttenberg, waltzed into the police station on Wednesday, Oct. 2 to speak with officials from the public safety office, Guttenberg police said. While inside, Gonzalez expressed concern over the lighting of a scented candle, police said. Gonzalez then called the county's emergency dispatch line, requesting North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue to th…
Teen Who Accidentally Shot Himself Last Year Arrested With Handgun, Extended Mag: Paterson PD Teen Who Accidentally Shot Himself Last Year Arrested With Handgun, Extended Mag: Paterson PD
Teen Who Accidentally Shot Himself Last Year Arrested With Handgun, Extended Mag: Paterson PD A 13-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself in the leg last year was found in possession of a semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine on Friday, Sept. 27, Paterson police said. Detectives with the Community Stabilization Unit and Shooting Investigation Unit were conducting surveillance near Franklin and Mercer streets around 5:30 that evening when their attention was drawn to a male and a person of interest in a prior unrelated investigation, according to a spokesperson for the Attorney General's office, who oversees the Paterson Police Department.  Detectives re…
New Jersey Hospital Worker, Nursing Student Arrested In Dangerous Car Rally New Jersey Hospital Worker, Nursing Student Arrested In Dangerous Car Rally
New Jersey Hospital Worker, Nursing Student Arrested In Dangerous Car Rally An illegal car meetup with fires and a police officer nearly being struck has led to two more arrests — this time of people from outside the Philadelphia suburbs, police announced on Saturday, Sept. 28.  Alexis Boyce, 20 of Englishtown, NJ, turned herself into Philadelphia Police at 600 Arch Street at 11:15 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 27, and Albert Woynar, 18 of Pittsburgh, was arrested by Pennsylvania State Troopers later that day, Philadelphia Police detailed in the release. Both were wanted in connection with a 50-car meetup in the 7400 block of Bustleton Avenue on Saturday, Se…
Would-Be Jumper Hospitalized After Closing Lanes Of George Washington Bridge (UPDATE) Would-Be Jumper Hospitalized After Closing Lanes Of George Washington Bridge (UPDATE)
Would-Be Jumper Hospitalized After Closing Lanes Of George Washington Bridge (Update) A would-be George Washington Bridge jumper was hospitalized Tuesday night, Sept. 24, after bringing traffic along the bridge to a halt, authorities said. A spokesperson for the Port Authority Police Department confirmed the investigation but not have any further information as of 7:40 p.m. Wednesday morning, a spokesperson said that the incident was reported at 5:42 p.m. near the 179th Street ramp in the westbound lanes. All lanes along the ramp were closed. The man was removed and taken to a local hospital, the PAPD said. Traffic resumed at 7:24 p.m.
Bomb Scare Brings K9s, Major Police Presence To Bayonne Church, Pastor Says Bomb Scare Brings K9s, Major Police Presence To Bayonne Church, Pastor Says
Bomb Scare Brings K9s, Major Police Presence To Bayonne Church, Pastor Says A bomb scare brought a major police presence to a church in Bayonne over the weekend, according to the church's pastor. Rev. Raul Gaviola, the pastor at St. Henry RC Church on W. 29th Street, detailed the incident in a post on Facebook, saying it happened after the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, Sept. 21, as he was talking to parishioners. "I was informed by a police officer that they received a call that there would be an active shooting, and a pipe bomb going off at St. Henry at 7pm," the pastor wrote.  Gaviola said K9 units and the Jersey City bomb squad were called to the church, whi…
NJ Transit Driver Assaulted By 7 Juveniles In Paterson NJ Transit Driver Assaulted By 7 Juveniles In Paterson
NJ Transit Driver Assaulted By 7 Juveniles In Paterson A NJ Transit bus driver was hospitalized following an assault carried out by a group of juveniles in Paterson on Wednesday, Sept. 18, authorities said. An NJ Transit spokesperson said the attack happened just after 4:30 p.m. on the 171 line at the Broadway Bus Terminal. The operator was treated on scene by emergency medical personnel and taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The incident remains under investigation by NJT police.
PA Man Accused Of Drugging, Assaulting Women He Met On Sugar Daddy Site, DA Says PA Man Accused Of Drugging, Assaulting Women He Met On Sugar Daddy Site, DA Says
PA Man Accused Of Drugging, Assaulting Women He Met On Sugar Daddy Site, DA Says At least six women are known to have been sexually assaulted after going out with a man they met on an online dating site who ended up drugging them, District Attorney Jennifer Schorn and Bristol Township Police Chief Robert Coulton announced on Wednesday, Sept. 11.  Andrew Gallo, 40, of Copper Beech Lane, Bristol Township, was charged with five counts of rape by causing impairment, six counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, four counts of strangulation, two counts of selling or furnishing liquor or malt or brewed beverage to minors, and one count each of s…
Campfire Accidentally Sparked Huge Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood: Investigators Campfire Accidentally Sparked Huge Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood: Investigators
Campfire Accidentally Sparked Huge Wildfire Near Jersey Shore Neighborhood: Investigators 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…
Sidewalk Save: Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Officers Saving Choking Baby Sidewalk Save: Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Officers Saving Choking Baby
Sidewalk Save: Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Officers Saving Choking Baby Newly-released body-worn camera footage shows two New Jersey police officers saving a choking baby. Hightstown Officers Daniel Abbatemarco and Kenneth Larsen responded to a call of a choking baby girl on March 31. Upon arrival, they were met by a man holding the girl. Larsen arrived on scene and quickly performed the Infant Heimlich Maneuver on the girl, who was breathing again in a matter of seconds. Meanwhile, Abbatemarco and Larsen comforted the man holding her and a woman crying at the scene. "She's breathing, she's clear," the officers say. "Let's let out a cry sweetheart!" …
Neighbors Evacuated In 22-Hour Standoff With Armed Man In Essex County: Police Neighbors Evacuated In 22-Hour Standoff With Armed Man In Essex County: Police
Neighbors Evacuated In 22-Hour Standoff With Armed Man In Essex County: Police A 34-year-old barricaded Irvington man was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 5 after a standoff that lasted nearly 24 hours, authorities said. At 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4, Irvington police responded to the 300 block of Nesbit Terrace on a report of an armed person and encountered Karim Brunson, who proceeded to barricade himself in the home, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens, II and Irvington Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers said. Irvington officers secured the area and received assistance from the Sheriff’s Tactical Response Team, Stephen and Bowers said. Trained negotiators …
Shooting Victim, 41, Found Lying Face Down In Paterson Dies Shooting Victim, 41, Found Lying Face Down In Paterson Dies
Shooting Victim, 41, Found Lying Face Down In Paterson Dies A man was killed in a Paterson shooting overnight, authorities said. A 41-year-old man was found lying face-down with gunshot wounds by officers responding to a ShotSpotter activation at Auburn and Ellison streets around 2:45 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Department Officer-In-Charge Isa Abbassi said. The victim was taken to Saint Joseph’s University Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased. The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office asks anyone with additional information about this incident to contact us on our tips line a…
Woman Charged For Breaking Into Tiger Enclosure At NJ Zoo, Police Say Woman Charged For Breaking Into Tiger Enclosure At NJ Zoo, Police Say
Woman Charged For Breaking Into Tiger Enclosure At NJ Zoo, Police Say A Millville woman was accused of hopping a fence at a Bridgeton zoo and trying to pet a Bengal tiger, authorities said. Zyair Dennis, 24, was charged with one count of defiant trespassing, the Bridgeton Police Department said in a news release on Monday, Aug. 26. She was also cited for two violations of city ordinances about people climbing fences at Cohanzick Zoo. Investigators said Dennis went into the restricted area near the zoo's tiger and bear enclosures on Sunday, Aug. 18. Police began investigating after the city's recreation department received video from other …
Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say
Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say A boy was airlifted to a hospital after officials say he stepped on hot coals that had been illegally dumped on a New Jersey beach. Paramedics and EMTs from Sea Bright and Robert Wood Johnson were called to Sandy Hook near Guardian Park, where they found the boy with burns to both feet around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, Gateway National Recreation Area spokeswoman Daphne Yun said. Witnesses said the child had stepped on hot coals that had been illegally dumped between rocks in the area, Yun said. The child was flown by Hackensack Meridian to a local burn center, and the area wher…
Irvington Man, Garfield Woman Busted for Having Sex In Public: Newark PD Irvington Man, Garfield Woman Busted for Having Sex In Public: Newark PD
Irvington Man, Garfield Woman Busted for Having Sex In Public: Newark PD A 44-year-old Garfield woman and a 39-year-old Irvington man were recently arrested for having sex in public multiple times in Newark, authorities said. Melissa Barrett and Christopher Turner were arrested following multiple acts of lewdness that occurred between February 2024 and August 2024, Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said. On Sunday, Feb. 24, at 8:30 a.m., two juveniles reported they observed a man and woman having sex in public on the 200 block of Ferry Street, Fragé said. A photo of the couple having sex was provided to police, Fragé said. On Thursday, July 25, at 5:12…
Relentless Flirting Prompted Passaic Mom To Stab Co-Worker At Restaurant: Attorney Relentless Flirting Prompted Passaic Mom To Stab Co-Worker At Restaurant: Attorney
Relentless Flirting Prompted Passaic Mom To Stab Co-Worker At Restaurant: Attorney A 23-year-old single mother has been released from jail more than a week after authorities say she stabbed her co-worker at a Bergen County restaurant. With help from Spanish to English interpreters, Bergen County Criminal Judge Susan J. Steele granted Juana Galvez Genaro release on pretrial monitoring level 3 Wednesday morning, Aug. 21. The hearing shed light on the situation that unfolded on Saturday, Aug. 10. Aaron Miller, the attorney representing Galvez Genaro said that the victim, a 43-year-old man who worked with her at Heights Bar & Grill in Hasbrouck Heights, had been "fl…
Intruder Breaks Into Tiger Enclosure, Nearly Gets Bitten At South Jersey Zoo (VIDEO) Intruder Breaks Into Tiger Enclosure, Nearly Gets Bitten At South Jersey Zoo (VIDEO)
Intruder Breaks Into Tiger Enclosure, Nearly Gets Bitten At South Jersey Zoo (Video) Police in South Jersey are seeking the public's help in identifying and locating a woman who hopped the fence at a local zoo to interact with a tiger. Video shared by Bridgeton police on Tuesday, Aug. 20 shows the incident from the tiger exhibit at the Cohanzick Zoo. Officers didn't say when the incident happened. The 16-second clip shows the female putting her hand through wire fencing and trying to pet the tiger. The big cat then appears to try biting the female's hand and starts frantically pacing. The female then backs away from the wiring and climbs back over the wooden fence on the o…
Wanted NJ Child Abuser Busted With Police Uniform, Handcuffs In NY Traffic Stop, Cops Say Wanted NJ Child Abuser Busted With Police Uniform, Handcuffs In NY Traffic Stop, Cops Say
Wanted NJ Child Abuser Busted With Police Uniform, Handcuffs In NY Traffic Stop, Cops Say A man who had been wanted out of New Jersey on child abuse charges was arrested in a New York traffic stop last week, when authorities found him with police uniforms and handcuffs, they said. Joseph Zuziela, 43, of Branchburg, NJ, was stopped in Oceanside, NY on Thursday night, Aug. 8. Somerset County Prosecutor's Fugitive Task Force Unit Nassau County Police said officers stopped Zuziela’s vehicle at around 11:45 p.m. near Merrick and Oceanside roads. Inside, they reportedly found a trove of law enforcement paraphernalia, including police uniforms, handcuffs, a gold badge, brass knu…
Why Sergeant Won't Be Charged In Crash That Killed 44-Year-Old Pedestrian: AG (VIDEO) Why Sergeant Won't Be Charged In Crash That Killed 44-Year-Old Pedestrian: AG (VIDEO)
Why Sergeant Won't Be Charged In Crash That Killed 44-Year-Old Pedestrian: AG (Video) Charges will not be filed against a police officer who last November struck and killed a 44-year-old man while on-duty in a patrol car, authorities said. Sgt. Richard Sbarra was on White Horse Pike (Route 30) in the Atco section of Waterford when he hit Christofe “Christopher” Wita, 44, of Berlin on Nov. 23, 2023, NJ Attorney General Matthew Platkin previously said. Bodycam footage and radio transmissions from the incident were released last month. On Monday, Aug. 12, Platkin said Sbarra would not be charged following an investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Account…