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Thursday, jun 12
Police & Fire
Hopatcong Band Director Was Sexting In Classroom: Police (
Update
)
A Sussex County school band teacher has been charged with lewdness, authorities said. Records show Albert J. Cerulo III was charged with lewdness, specifically, observed by a child under 13 years old, at least four years younger than he is. The offense date was Monday, June 2, the NJ Courts site shows. Hopatcong Police Lt. Ryan Tracey pointed at the "nowhere in the [criminal] complaint does it state that the conduct involved a student." "The charge specifically alleges that Mr. Cerulo, while employed as a teacher at Hopatcong Middle School, engaged in lewd conduct by sending images of his …
Police & Fire
Accidental 911 Call Leads NJ Cops To Mom With Heroin Near Children’s Toys: Police
A 911 call with only heavy breathing on the line led police in Bergen County to a woman with outstanding warrants — and drugs near her children’s toys, authorities said. The call came in around 11:26 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, and was traced to the Lakeview Terrace area, Oakland Police Chief Timothy Keenan said. When Officer Matthew Lopez arrived, he found a white pickup truck parked on the side of the road with a woman standing next to it, Keenan said. Lopez He performed a welfare check on the female and determined she had numerous outstanding warrants for her arrest, the chief said. …
Police & Fire
Mom Charged With Murder In 3-Year-Old’s Death After Making Up Amber Alert: Cops
The mother of a 3-year-old girl who sparked an Amber Alert out of Delaware is now charged with murder after the child’s body was found dumped in Maryland, state police announced. Darrian Randle, 31, of North East, told police she had pulled over on Gender Road in Newark, Delaware, around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, to comfort her daughter, Nola Dinkens, when a white man with a gun kidnapped the girl and took off in a dark SUV. That story was a lie, authorities now say. After an overnight manhunt and multi-agency investigation, Maryland State Police confirmed the toddler’s remains were disc…
Police & Fire
Opioids From India, Dog Fighting Ring, Drug Lab In Basement: NJ Man Busted Again, AG Says
A 46-year-old Millville man was arrested and charged on Wednesday, June 11, after he was discovered to be manufacturing drugs out of his home, authorities said. Bruce Low, who was charged last year with running a dog fighting ring, was hit with numerous drug offenses after he was found to be in possession of large amounts of opioids, morphine and other drug paraphernalia, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. An investigation into Low began after a package shipped to his address from India was inspected by Customs and Border Patrol and found to contain six kilograms of Tapentado…
Police & Fire
More Charges For Wrestler From Lake Hiawatha In Deadly Crash: Prosecutor
An 18-year-old former high school wrestler is facing additional charges in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash on Route 37 in Toms River that killed a 59-year-old woman, authorities announced on Wednesday, June 11. Abel Mathukutty, of Lake Hiawatha, was behind the wheel of an Infinity sedan that struck a white Mercedes sedan driven by Debora Barone, Saturday, May 24 at 7:25 p.m. on Route 37 east in Toms River, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. The crash sent the Mercedes into a utility pole, Billhimer said. Mathukutty fled the scene, traveling eastbound over t…
Police & Fire
'Crystal Clear': NJ Town Pool Employees Stole Chemicals To Run Secret Side Hustle, Cops Say
Four Secaucus town employees were arrested after allegedly running a private pool business using stolen chemicals, town property, and taxpayer-funded hours, authorities said. The employees — John T. Schwartz, 61, Frank N. Flanagan, 32, Joseph Ferrara, 27, and Megan R. Wofsy-Flanagan, 31, all of Secaucus — were charged following a three-month investigation into their company, Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management, according to the Secaucus Police Department. Detectives said the four used their positions with the Secaucus Recreation Department to steal pool chemicals from the Secaucus Town Po…
Police & Fire
Entire Nepali Family Killed In Murder-Suicide: American Dream Cut Short
They had just started building a new life in America. Now, a tight-knit Nepali community in Virginia is grieving the loss of an entire family, found shot to death inside their Manassas Park apartment. Police believe the case was a murder-suicide, but as the investigation continues, heartbroken friends are scrambling to raise money to bury the victims according to their sacred traditions — and help their loved ones begin to heal. At 10:40 p.m. on Thursday, June 5, officers were called to the 9400 block of Lanae Lane for a welfare check after the homeowner asked police to check on his …
Police & Fire
Drunk Denville Shoplifter Punched, Spit On Cop: Police
A 37-year-old Denville woman was arrested and charged after she spit on a police officer on Monday, June 9, authorities said. At noon, officers responded to East Main Street and Indian Road for a report of an intoxicated woman, Denville police said. The woman, Jennifer Lester, was creating a disturbance by yelling profanities and preventing employees from working, police said. Officers determined Lester was responsible for shoplifting a bottle of wine from Partner Liquors at 123 East Main St., police said. Lester, who was in possession of the bottle of wine, refused to speak with police and…
Police & Fire
Rockaway Man ID’d As Victim In Route 80 Crash:
Njsp
A 71-year-old Rockaway man was killed in a single-car crash on Route 80 on Sunday, June 8, authorities said. At 9:18 a.m., a Kia Sportage driven by Jon Defalco was traveling westbound on Route 80 in Parsippany-Troy Hills when it veered off the roadway to the right and struck a guardrail, causing the vehicle to overturn, Jeffrey Lebron, a spokesman for New Jersey State Police said. Defalco was pronounced dead at the scene, Lebron said. The crash remains under investigation, Lebron said.
Police & Fire
Former HS Football Player Killed In Route 287 Crash Mourned As ‘Kind, Compassionate' Teen
A 19-year-old former Bergen County high school football player died after crashing off the highway in Mahwah, officials confirmed Jonathan "Johnny" Rodriguez-Pluchino, of Oakland, was driving north on Route 287 when his car veered off the road and struck several trees near milepost 65.4 around 7:15 a.m. on Tuesday, June 10, according to State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron. Rodriguez-Pluchino suffered serious injuries and was taken to an area hospital, where he later died, police said. The crash remains under investigation. Later that day, loved ones launched a GoFundMe campaign in his honor, …
Police & Fire
Gun Fired, 16-Year-Old NJ Football Player Dead — Authorities Investigating What Went Wrong
A 16-year-old was killed after a firearm discharged in front of a group of juveniles on Friday, June 6 in Camden, authorities said. At 12:35 p.m., officers responded to the 1500 block of Thorn Street and found Xyere Brooks with a gunshot wound inside of the residence, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. Brooks was transported to Cooper University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:15 p.m., prosecutors said. Multiple juveniles were determined to have been in the residence at the time of the incident, police said. Detectives are continuing to investigate the circ…
Police & Fire
Injured Hiker Rescued By Boat After Fall In Palisades Park Near NJ/NY Line
An injured hiker had to be rescued by boat after falling near a rockslide along the Hudson River in Palisades Interstate Park near the New York/New Jersey border, authorities said. The incident happened around 1:20 p.m. on Sunday, June 8, near the Northern Rockslide/Giant Stairs by the Rockland County/New Jersey line in Palisades Park, the Piermont Fire Department announced. Piermont firefighters responded to help the Sparkill Fire Department with the rescue and arrived with 18 members, including high-angle rescue and marine dive teams. Rescuers soon reached the remote shoreline…
Police & Fire
Morris Knolls Teacher Alyssa Perry Arrested
A 35-year-old Morris County high school teacher has been arrested on accusations she sexually assaulted a 17-year-old child she'd been tutoring, officials said. Alyssa Perry, of Rockaway Township, a teacher at Morris Knolls High School, became the center of an investigation when school administrators reported her inappropriate behavior to Denville police in March, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll said. Perry, who is suspended from the school, was charged on Friday, June 6, with two counts of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said. At Morri…
Police & Fire
Magazine, Ammo Seized From PA Teens After Greenwich Township Shooting: Prosecutor
Two juveniles from Pennsylvania were charged and detained after authorities say someone fired an assault rifle in a Warren County, NJ, neighborhood Saturday night, June 7. The incident happened around 10:45 p.m. on June 7, near Dumont Drive and Hamilton Road in Greenwich Township, after a 911 caller reported hearing gunfire, officials said. Officers from the Greenwich Township Police Department responded, but "did not find any injured parties or damaged property." During the investigation, police recovered "an assault rifle, armor piercing ammunition as well as a large capacity magazine." …
Police & Fire
Bronx Boat Explosion: DWI Captain Charged In Fire That Sent 22 Into Long Island Sound, Cops Say
A 33-year-old Bronx, NY man has been charged with DWI in a boat explosion that forced 22 people into the water and 23 to the hospital on Saturday, June 7, officials said. Just before 9 p.m., police got a call reporting a boat fire in the Long Island Sound near Hart Island, a DCPI spokesperson said. The NYPD harbor and aviation units responded, as did the FDNY to assist in the rescue. Three people were pulled from the water by FDNY crews, and brought to a dock where EMS crews were waiting to begin CPR. The scene of the boat fire in New York. FDNY via Facebook The othe…
Police & Fire
North Jersey Fire Lt. Convinced Child To Send Him Pornography, Records Show
A North Jersey fire lieutenant was jailed last week on multiple child sex abuse charges on accusations he convinced a child to engage in pornography stemming from an online relationship, law enforcement officials tell Daily Voice. Bradford "Brad" Flaker, 42, of North Haledon, was booked in the Monmouth County Jail on June 6, with no bond, according to inmate records. Flaker is listed as a 2nd lieutenant with the Hawthorne Fire Department. His Facebook page shows he works as a service tech for Bobcat of North Jersey. Flaker is accused of having a sexual online relationship with a chil…
Police & Fire
Drug Dealer With 130 Lbs Of Pot Kidnaps Uber Driver While Fleeing From PA To NJ: Prosecutor
A 27-year-old Manchester, CT man is facing kidnapping charges after he forced an Uber driver to help him flee from the police on Thursday, June 5, authorities said. New Jersey State Police responded to a notification from Pennsylvania State Police about a pursuit of Drew Earlington in a motor vehicle from Lebanon, PA, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office said. Drew Earlington had called an Uber to help him flee to New Jersey, unlawfully confining the driver for a substantial period of time as he tried to evade Pennsylvania police, authorities said The Uber driver surreptitiously contac…
Police & Fire
NJ School Employee Exposed Himself To Middle Schoolers: Prosecutor
A 36-year-old Garfield resident was arrested and charged on Thursday, June 5, with exposing himself to students at the Kearny charter school where he worked ,authorities said. Omer Sogutcu was an IT professional at Hudson Arts and Science Middle School, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Two girls under the age of 13 reported Sogutcu exposed himself and asked them to engage in sexual conduct, Suarez said. Sogutcu is charged with two counts of sexual assault by contact and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, Suarez said. He was arrested at the charter …
Police & Fire
Central Jersey Police Lieutenant Dies Suddenly, Department Says
The Woodbridge Police Department is mourning the sudden loss of one of its own. Lt. Rich Hardish died unexpectedly, the department said in a statement on Thursday, June 5. “It is with deep sorrow that we share the heartbreaking news of the untimely passing of Woodbridge Police Lieutenant Rich Hardish,” the department said. “Lt. Hardish was a dedicated public servant, respected leader, and beloved member of the community whose commitment to duty and unwavering integrity left a lasting impact on all who knew him.” Hardish's passing has shaken the law enforcement and local community. “His su…
Police & Fire
22 Grams Of Heroin, 6 Handguns, 24 Arrests: Prosecutor Announces Massive NJ Drug Bust
A drug raid in Union County on Thursday, May 29, resulted in the arrest of 24 people and the seizure of illegal drugs, firearms and money, authorities said. Numerous police departments and SWAT teams participated in the raid, which involved 14 search warrants throughout North Jersey, Union County Prosecutor William Daniel and Linden Police Chief David Hart said. The raids were part of a comprehensive investigation by the Union County Intelligence and Narcotics Division and the Linden Police Department Narcotics Bureau targeting a drug distribution networ…
Police & Fire
Murder-Suicide: Man Shoots Woman, Her 10-Year-Old Daughter In NJ: Prosecutor
A man in Hamilton Township fatally shot a woman and her 10-year-old daughter before shooting himself Thursday morning, June 5, authorities said. At 4 a.m., Hamilton police responded to a 911 call from a residence at the 200 block of Henry Street, Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta Marbrey said. Upon arrival, they discovered an adult man and woman and a 10-year-old suffering from gunshot wounds, Marbrey said. All three were pronounced dead at the scene, Marbrey said. An investigation revealed the man shot his girlfriend and her 10-year-old daughter before shooting himself, Marbrey said.&…
Police & Fire
Man Assaulted Officer, Spit In His Face: Raritan Borough PD
A 32-year-old Raritan man was arrested and charged on Sunday, June 1, after he assaulted a police officer and spit in his face, authorities said. At 8:50 p.m., officers were dispatched to a business on West Somerset Street for a trespassing complaint, Raritan Borough police said. Officers encountered Daniel Gabino-Maldonado, who had previously trespassed at the business, police said. Gabino-Maldonado refused to provide his information and as he was being taken into custody, he assaulted the officer and spit in his face, police said. After a struggle, Maldonado was eventually taken into cust…
Police & Fire
Woman Walks Into Route 3 Hotel Room, Steals Cell Phone, Police Say
A woman from Passaic was arrested after she walked into a stranger’s unlocked hotel room and stole her phone, police in Clifton said. Officers responded to the Howard Johnson's hotel on Route 3 West on Monday, June 2, 2025, around an undisclosed time, after a 23-year-old woman reported her phone had been stolen, according to the Clifton Police Department. The victim told police that another woman walked into her room while the door was momentarily left unlocked. The woman grabbed the victim’s cell phone and ran off. The victim followed the woman, later identified as Natalie Valles, 42, of …
Police & Fire
Man On Horse Helps NJ Cops Catch Hit, Run Driver: Police
A man riding a horse assisted police in Riverside Township with catching a hit-and-run driver on Saturday, May 31, authorities said. That morning, officers were called to Middleton Street after a woman heard a loud crash and saw a vehicle speeding off after hitting her parked car, Riverside police said. That’s when PJ and his horse, Shiny, showed up, police said. PJ told the woman he had witnessed a gray Honda Accord crash into her vehicle and drive off, police said. PJ and Shiny rode after the vehicle and got close enough to obtain a partial license plate number, which he passed on …
Police & Fire
NJ Serial Burglar Caught Fast Asleep On Abandoned Bus: Cops
A man wanted for smashing into several stores and stealing cash in Wayne was found sleeping in an abandoned bus in Hudson County, authorities said. Robert Gorrie, 61, had been on the run for weeks after investigators linked him to a string of burglaries earlier this year, Wayne police said in a June 4 press release. Police said the crimes happened over several months and involved a man breaking glass doors to get inside local businesses and take cash. Detectives identified Gorrie, who had a last known address in Wayne, and issued warrants for his arrest. Officers searched for him throughou…
Police & Fire
Masked Men With Guns, Hunting Knife Arrested, 3 Others — Also In Masks — Let Go: Cops
Two men dressed in black and wearing face coverings were arrested after police found two handguns and a hunting knife during a traffic stop in West New York, authorities said. Detectives Chris Ortiz and Rich Dominguez were patrolling the area of 60th Street and Madison Street when they saw a black 4-door Acura commit multiple traffic violations on May 28, the West New York Police Department said. As the officers approached the car, they noticed all five people inside were dressed in black with hoods and black face coverings, police said. Officer Frank Escobar responded to assist and spotte…
Police & Fire
A Bimmer For $500? Impounded Rides Take Center Stage At Upcoming Long Island Police Auction
From the impound lot to your driveway–no badge needed. Whether they were towed for unpaid tickets, seized during arrests, or simply abandoned, dozens of cars, SUVs, pickups, and even a few luxury rides are up for grabs at the next Suffolk County Police impound auction. The bidding kicks off at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 7 – rain or shine – at the department’s Westhampton facility, located at 100 Old Country Road. Bids start at $500. About 85 lots are up for grabs, including sedans, SUVs, and the occasional surprise (hello, Porsche Cayenne). Cars are sold as-is. You can preview the lineup on Th…
Police & Fire
Person Shot In Jefferson Township: Prosecutor
A person was shot in Jefferson Township on Tuesday, June 3, authorities said. At 9:06 p.m., Jefferson police contacted the Morris County Prosecutor's Office to report a person with a gunshot wound, a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office said. The victim was transported to an area hospital, authorities said. There is no threat to the public, authorities said. It is unknown if anyone was arrested or the condition of the victim. The investigation is ongoing, authorities said.
Police & Fire
Man, 20, Takes Fatal Fall Out Of Jeep Wrangler In NJ: Prosecutor
A 20-year-old man was killed after falling out of a moving Jeep in Passaic County, NJ, authorities said. The Haledon man was a passenger in the Jeep Wrangler that was traveling on Clinton Road in West Milford, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and West Milford Police Chief Shannon Sommerville said. The man fell out of the vehicle at approximately 6:05 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, Valdes and Sommerville said. EMS attempted life-saving measures on the passenger, but he was subsequently pronounced dead. This investigation is active and ongoing. More information will be released …
Police & Fire
Fatal
Hit-run
: Person Killed On Route 80 Overnight, Cops Say
A person was struck and killed in a hit-and-run on Route 80 overnight, and now, authorities say they need help finding the suspect. An eastbound vehicle hit the person near milepost 59.5 around 2:55 a.m. in Paterson and fled the scene prior to troopers' arrival, New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said. The victim's identity remains withheld pending an autopsy. NJSP said the striking vehicle is believed to be a large commercial vehicle or a tractor-trailer. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or the events prior to or following the crash is asked to contact Troop "B" Tot…
Police & Fire
Budd Lake Man Yelled At Dispatchers At Mount Olive Police HQ: Authorities
A 33-year-old Budd Lake man was arrested and charged on Sunday, June 1, after an altercation at police headquarters in Mount Olive, authorities said. At 5:50 a.m., Anthony Rondan entered the lobby of police headquarters where he became irate, yelling at police dispatchers and causing a disruption, Mount Olive police said. Rondan was asked by police officers to leave several times and he refused, police said. He was placed under arrest and charged with disorderly conduct, police said. In 2021, Rondan was charged after he tossed a lit cigarette while inside Ye Olde Mill Shoppe on Route 206 …
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