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Police & Fire
Kayaker, 35, Found Floating In NJ Quarry Dies Kayaker, 35, Found Floating In NJ Quarry Dies
Kayaker, 35, Found Floating In NJ Quarry Dies A 35-year-old man died after being pulled from the water near a privately-owned quarry over the weekend in New Jersey, authorities said. Troopers responded to the Alpha Quarry at approximately 5:20 p.m. on Nov. 24, following a report of a kayaker in distress.  Local police and fire departments located the victim, identified as Justin Lusk, of Alpha, floating in the water, Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said. Lusk was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The incident remains under active investigation, and no additional details have been released.

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
DUI, Child Neglect For Minivan Driver After Near Miss With Police Car In Morris County: Cops DUI, Child Neglect For Minivan Driver After Near Miss With Police Car In Morris County: Cops
DUI, Child Neglect For Minivan Driver After Near Miss With Police Car In Morris County: Cops A Long Valley man was charged with driving while intoxicated and child neglect after nearly colliding with a police cruiser at the ITC Mall Complex in Flanders last week. The incident occurred on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, at 12:04 a.m., when Sgt. Tyler Mullooly observed a Honda minivan cross the center line near Famous Footwear, narrowly missing his patrol vehicle, police said. Sgt. Mullooly initiated a traffic stop and observed the driver and passenger switching seats as he approached the vehicle. The driver, identified as 46-year-old Raghunath Angeveettil, was found seated in the passenger s…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Massive 3-Alarm Fire Erupts On NJ's Gingerbread Castle Road, Crews Battle Blaze For 12 Hours Massive 3-Alarm Fire Erupts On NJ's Gingerbread Castle Road, Crews Battle Blaze For 12 Hours
Massive 3-Alarm Fire Erupts On NJ's Gingerbread Castle Road, Crews Battle Blaze For 12 Hours Firefighters from across Sussex and Morris counties worked tirelessly for more than 12 hours Monday, Nov. 25 to extinguish a massive commercial structure fire. At approximately 2:00 am on Monday morning the Hamburg fire department was dispatched to Gingerbread Castle Road for a... Posted by Hamburg NJ Fire & Rescue on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 Hamburg Fire Department responded to the blaze on Gingerbread Castle Road in Hamburg around 2 a.m., and quickly upgraded it to a 3-alarm fire due to its intensity.  Mutual aid units from surrounding counties and the Sussex Coun…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
'Welcome To Florida!' Sheriff Mocks NJ Swatting Caller Sentenced To Prison 'Welcome To Florida!' Sheriff Mocks NJ Swatting Caller Sentenced To Prison
'Welcome To Florida!' Sheriff Mocks NJ Swatting Caller Sentenced To Prison A New Jersey man who made swatting calls to a Florida high school got more than his 15 minutes of fame: Two years behind bars. Brad Parga, of Guttenberg, who was 17 years old when he called in threats from the Garden State to Milton High School in Santa Rosa County on Feb. 14, 2022, said his reason for doing so was "to get on the news." On Nov. 14, 2024, Parga was sentenced to two years in the Florida Department of Corrections followed by three years of probation — and Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson didn’t miss the opportunity to give the cheeky update. "You know I'm about gran…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Boy Killed In Dirt Bike Crash Just Before 17th Birthday NJ Boy Killed In Dirt Bike Crash Just Before 17th Birthday
NJ Boy Killed In Dirt Bike Crash Just Before 17th Birthday A Jackson Township teen remembered as "a bright light" was killed in a dirt bike crash in Cape May County, according to a fundraising campaign. Sources tell Daily Voice that 16-year-old Jim Morell was the boy killed Saturday, Nov. 23, on County Road 628 south in Upper Township. A GoFundMe page was created to support Jim's grieving family, and had raised more than $30,200 from at least 300 donations as of Tuesday, Nov. 26. "Jim moved to his own beat and welcomed everyone into his world," wrote Salvatore Scalici, the fundraiser's organizer. "My son, who was quit…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
DUI Driver Arrested After Train Collides With Car On Tracks In Bergen County: Officials DUI Driver Arrested After Train Collides With Car On Tracks In Bergen County: Officials
DUI Driver Arrested After Train Collides With Car On Tracks In Bergen County: Officials A motorist was arrested for driving under the influence after their vehicle was struck by an NJ Transit train carrying about 450 passengers Monday evening, Nov. 25, officials said. The collision happened at approximately 5:40 p.m., west of the Plauderville Station in Garfield, an NJ Transit spokesperson said. The crash involved Port Jervis Line train #55, which departed Hoboken at 5:16 p.m. and was heading to Port Jervis. Two people were inside the vehicle at the time of the crash but were not injured. Approximately 450 passengers and crew on board the train were also unharmed. The dr…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Elizabeth Man Tied To Bergen County Burglary Spree Arrested, Police Say Elizabeth Man Tied To Bergen County Burglary Spree Arrested, Police Say
Elizabeth Man Tied To Bergen County Burglary Spree Arrested, Police Say An Elizabeth man has been charged in connection to a series of residential burglaries across Bergen County, authorities said Monday, Nov. 25. Jonnathan Diaz-Gomez, 42, was arrested following a months-long investigation led by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Paramus Police Department, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. The investigation began on April 27, 2024, when Paramus police interrupted an attempted burglary in progress on Ehret Street, Musella said. Responding officers found a car idling near the scene, allegedly occupied by multiple suspects. As officers arrived, t…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
'Daredevil' Teen Drag Racer Assaults Officer During Attempted Escape In NJ's Largest City: PD 'Daredevil' Teen Drag Racer Assaults Officer During Attempted Escape In NJ's Largest City: PD
'Daredevil' Teen Drag Racer Assaults Officer During Attempted Escape In NJ's Largest City: PD A New Jersey man has been arrested after allegedly injuring a Newark police officer during a drag racing incident over the weekend, authorities said. Wyatt Bowden, 18, of Somerville was trying to escape officers responding to reports of erratic driving when he drove over a Newark officer's foot just after 1 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, Sr. said. Bowden faces charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, eluding, and possession of a weapon (auto) following the incident at Frelinghuysen Avenue and Miller Street, police said. The officer wa…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Porch Pirates Busted In Central Jersey Package Theft Spree, Police Say Porch Pirates Busted In Central Jersey Package Theft Spree, Police Say
Porch Pirates Busted In Central Jersey Package Theft Spree, Police Say Two suspected porch pirates were caught in the act, following a series of package thefts in Highland Park, authorities said. The New Brunswick men were arrested on Wednesday, Nov. 20, the Highland Park Police Department said in a news release. Officers saw the unnamed duo stealing packages from homes on North Third Avenue and Highland Avenue. The first suspect, 40, was taken into custody on North Third Avenue. He was charged with third-degree theft by unlawful taking and resisting arrest by flight. The second suspect, 36, was arrested on Highland Avenue. He was charged with third…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Raid Uncovers Illegal Breeding Operation: 7 Dogs, 5 Exotic Reptiles In Jersey City Raid Uncovers Illegal Breeding Operation: 7 Dogs, 5 Exotic Reptiles In Jersey City
Raid Uncovers Illegal Breeding Operation: 7 Dogs, 5 Exotic Reptiles In Jersey City Seven dogs and five reptiles were rescued from an illegal breeding facility uncovered during a multi-agency investigation in Jersey City, authorities said. The Jersey City Municipal Prosecutor’s Office, in coordination with the Health and Human Services Department, Zoning officials, and Jersey City Police, executed an administrative warrant that led to the discovery of an illegal dog breeding operation, according to spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione. Among the animals rescued were seven mixed-breed pitbulls and five exotic reptiles, including a large Columbian boa constrictor, a Savann…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
AG IDs Man Who Plunged To His Death During Hudson County Police Pursuit AG IDs Man Who Plunged To His Death During Hudson County Police Pursuit
AG IDs Man Who Plunged To His Death During Hudson County Police Pursuit The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has identified the man who died during a police encounter in Hudson County last week as a 26-year-old Texas man. Authorities on Friday, Nov. 22, named Brandon Lee Ortega as the individual who died following a foot chase with Guttenberg police on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The incident began around 11:02 p.m. when officers responded to 68th Street and Bellevue Avenue for a reported disturbance. Police were informed that one of the individuals involved, later identified as Ortega, was armed with a gun, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Guttenberg Pol…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Five-Alarm Fire Displaces 17 In Bayonne, Arson Task Force Investigating Five-Alarm Fire Displaces 17 In Bayonne, Arson Task Force Investigating
Five-Alarm Fire Displaces 17 In Bayonne, Arson Task Force Investigating The Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force is investigating a five-alarm fire that tore through a residential building in Bayonne, displacing 17 people on Friday, Nov. 22, authorities said. The fire broke out at approximately 11:45 a.m. at 458 Avenue C, Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Upon arrival, Bayonne firefighters saw heavy smoke and flames coming from a bedroom inside one of the apartments, officials said. The fire quickly spread to several adjoining structures, escalating to five alarms before crews were able to bring it under control, authorities said. No injuries or fatalitie…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Two Teens Arrested After Discarded Loaded Gun Forces Union HS Into Lockdown: Police Two Teens Arrested After Discarded Loaded Gun Forces Union HS Into Lockdown: Police
Two Teens Arrested After Discarded Loaded Gun Forces Union HS Into Lockdown: Police Two teenagers were arrested after they discarded a loaded firearm in the bushes near Union High School, prompting a lockdown, on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 21, authorities said. At 8:11 a.m., officers responded to a resident near Union High School who reported finding a fanny pack in the bushes near Stahuber Drive, Township of Union police said. Officers responded and determined the fanny pack had a loaded Smith and Weston 380 handgun in it, police said.  Detectives also responded to the scene and located a home that had an exterior camera and they were able to view the footage that…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Reward Offered In Fatal Hit-and-Run Newark Crash: Authorities Reward Offered In Fatal Hit-and-Run Newark Crash: Authorities
Reward Offered In Fatal Hit-and-Run Newark Crash: Authorities It has been three years since 42-year-old Rajon Collins was fatally struck by a hit-and-run vehicle in Newark. Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens, II and Essex County Sherriff Armando Fontoura announced on Thursday, Nov. 21, a $5,000 Crime Stoppers Program reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the fatal crash. Collins was struck near Springfield Avenue and South 18th Street on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, authorities said. Collins was hit by a red Jeep Grand Cherokee that had been reported stolen and was traveling at a high rate of speed, au…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Duo Stole $4K In Merch From Lululemon: Closter PD Duo Stole $4K In Merch From Lululemon: Closter PD
Duo Stole $4K In Merch From Lululemon: Closter PD Two people are at large after stealing more than $4,000 in merchandise from Lululemon in Closter on Monday, Nov. 11, authorities said. At 3:15 p.m., officers responded to the Lululemon at Closter Plaza on a report of a shoplifting, Closter police said. The store manager said two men wearing black hoodies went to separate areas of the store pretending to browse around, police said. Once store employees turned their back toward them, they grabbed multiple men's clothing items displayed on the table closest to the entrance of the store and ran out with the items, police said. The two men stole…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
West New York Financial Advisor Gets 3+ Years for $4M Health Care Fraud Scheme: Feds West New York Financial Advisor Gets 3+ Years for $4M Health Care Fraud Scheme: Feds
West New York Financial Advisor Gets 3+ Years for $4M Health Care Fraud Scheme: Feds  A 55-year-old West New York financial advisor was sentenced to 41 months in prison on Monday, Nov. 18, for orchestrating a $4 million scheme to defraud public health insurance plans, authorities said. Kaival Patel was convicted last December in Camden federal court of conspiracy, health care fraud, and money laundering, US Attorney Phillip Sellinger said. Patel must also pay $4.72 million in restitution and serve three years of supervised release, Sellinger said. According to court documents and trial evidence, Patel operated ABC Healthy Living LLC, a company that marketed high-cost c…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
North Bergen Man Attempted To Lure 11-Year-Old: WNY Police North Bergen Man Attempted To Lure 11-Year-Old: WNY Police
North Bergen Man Attempted To Lure 11-Year-Old: WNY Police A 29-year-old North Bergen man was arrested and charged on Tuesday, Nov. 19, after he attempted to lure an 11-year old girl into his vehicle in West New York, authorities said. The attempted luring occurred at 10:45 p.m. at 61st Street and Kennedy Boulevard, West New York police said. The child was not harmed during the incident, police said. Guy McCann was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and attempting to lure or entice a child, police said. McCann is currently lodged in the Hudson County Jail, police said.

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Three Injured, 30 People Displaced In Jersey City Blaze: Authorities Three Injured, 30 People Displaced In Jersey City Blaze: Authorities
Three Injured, 30 People Displaced In Jersey City Blaze: Authorities A fast-moving fire tore through a Jersey City apartment building on Wednesday, Nov. 19, displacing 30 residents and sending two people and one firefighter to the hospital, authorities said. The Jersey City Fire Department responded to a blaze at 274 Monticello Ave. and discovered a working fire in the four-story, 16-unit apartment building, Kimberly Wallace-Scalfione, a spokeswoman for the mayor's office said. The fire appeared to have started in the basement, with heavy smoke spreading through the building’s hallways, Wallace-Scalfione said. Three people trapped were rescued by firefighte…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Union City Man Possessed, Uploaded Child Porn: Prosecutor Union City Man Possessed, Uploaded Child Porn: Prosecutor
Union City Man Possessed, Uploaded Child Porn: Prosecutor A 76-year-old Union City man was arrested and charged on Tuesday, Nov. 19, with possessing and uploading child pornography, authorities said. The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a tip back in March that child sex abuse material was being uploaded from an electronic device, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. During the course of the investigation, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office detectives discovered hundreds of child sex abuse materials on Carlos Manzini’s computer. Manzini was charged with endangering the we…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Newark Man Convicted Of Killing Friend After Argument: Prosecutor Newark Man Convicted Of Killing Friend After Argument: Prosecutor
Newark Man Convicted Of Killing Friend After Argument: Prosecutor A 46-year-old Newark resident was recently convicted of murder in the first degree after shooting his friend in the back in February 2023, authorities said. William Whitfield was arguing with his friend, 45-year-old Keni Johnson inside the Bradley Court Housing Complex, Prosecutor Theodore Stephens, II said. Following the argument, Whitfield went to his apartment, obtained a gun and fatally shot Johnson in the back of the neck, Stephens said. Whitfield faces 30 years to life in prison when he is sentenced in January, Stephens said. Whitfield was also convicted of weapons charges, Stephens s…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Former Jersey Shore Gymnastics Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl, Police Say Former Jersey Shore Gymnastics Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl, Police Say
Former Jersey Shore Gymnastics Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl, Police Say A former Galloway Township gymnastics coach was accused of sexually assaulting a girl under 16 years old, authorities said. The Galloway Township Police Department announced the arrest of 51-year-old Matthew Shriver in a news release on Tuesday, Nov. 19. The Brigantine man was a co-owner of Everest Gymnastics and Tumbling Center in Galloway Township. The investigation began after officers received a report regarding the abuse accusations. Police said they obtained cell phone evidence that corroborated the victim’s statements.  This evidence led to search warrants for Shriver’s phone, perso…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Car Slams Into Tree in Bloomfield, Leaving Two In Critical Condition: Authorities Car Slams Into Tree in Bloomfield, Leaving Two In Critical Condition: Authorities
Car Slams Into Tree in Bloomfield, Leaving Two In Critical Condition: Authorities Two people are in critical condition after a car crashed into a tree in Bloomfield on the evening of Sunday, Nov. 17, authorities said. At 10 p.m., a 2024 silver Acura Integra struck the tree at John F. Kennedy Drive North and Spruce Street, a spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said.  The driver and the three passengers were transported to a nearby hospital, authorities said. Two of the occupants were listed in critical condition, authorities said The investigation is ongoing, authorities said.

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Teen Was Speeding, Blew Stop Sign In Crash That Killed NJ Girl On 1st Day Of School: Officials Teen Was Speeding, Blew Stop Sign In Crash That Killed NJ Girl On 1st Day Of School: Officials
Teen Was Speeding, Blew Stop Sign In Crash That Killed NJ Girl On 1st Day Of School: Officials A 17-year-old Clinton Township resident has been charged on Tuesday, Nov. 19, in connection with a crash in August in Franklin Township that killed 16-year-old Sophia Detorres on the first day of school. An investigation found that the driver was speeding and failed to stop at a designated stop sign just before the collision at Hogback Road and Lower Lansdown Road in Franklin Township, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée Robeson and Chief of Detectives Timothy Drew, said.  Detorres was among three juvenile passengers in the vehicle, and two other cars were involved in the crash…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
NJ Performing Arts HS Teacher Confesses To Molesting Female Student, Prosecutors Say NJ Performing Arts HS Teacher Confesses To Molesting Female Student, Prosecutors Say
NJ Performing Arts HS Teacher Confesses To Molesting Female Student, Prosecutors Say A former teacher at an Ocean County performing arts academy admitted to molesting a female student, authorities said. Douglas Bollinger of Neptune City, pleaded guilty on Monday, Nov. 18, to endangering the welfare of a child, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Investigators said Bollinger, 57, engaged in "inappropriate sexual contact" with a student. The incidents happened in Point Pleasant Beach and Asbury Park between February and August 2019. Bollinger was a teacher at the Grunin Performing Arts Academy, part of Ocean County Vocational Tech…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Victim ID'd In Fatal East Orange Crash: Prosecutor Victim ID'd In Fatal East Orange Crash: Prosecutor
Victim ID'd In Fatal East Orange Crash: Prosecutor The pedestrian fatally struck by a vehicle in East Orange on the early morning of Saturday, Nov. 16 has been identified as a 24-year-old man, authorities said. Darian Anthony Martinez was hit by a 2024 Honda Accord at 33 Ampere Pl., at 5:30 a.m., the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said, though they did not say when or where he died. The investigation is ongoing, authorities said.

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Suspects At Large After Armed Newark Home Invasion: Suspects At Large After Armed Newark Home Invasion:
Suspects At Large After Armed Newark Home Invasion: Two suspects are at large following an armed home invasion in Newark on Saturday, Nov. 16, authorities said. At 5:45 p.m., the two suspects attempted to steal an electric bike from a residence on Elm Street, Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda said. The owners of the electric bicycle chased the suspects and retrieved it after an altercation, Miranda said. As the owners were filing a robbery report at the Franklin Street precinct, the suspects returned to the owner’s Elm Street home, where they kicked in the door brandishing a weapon, Miranda said. They confronted a basement t…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Crash Snarls Traffic On Garden State Parkway In Union County: NJSP Crash Snarls Traffic On Garden State Parkway In Union County: NJSP
Crash Snarls Traffic On Garden State Parkway In Union County: Njsp A crash on the Garden State Parkway in Union County has backed up traffic on the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 19, authorities said. The crash occurred on the Garden State Parkway northbound near Exit 137 at Route 28 in Kenilworth and Cranford Township, the New Jersey Department of Transportation said. Though all lanes have reopened, according to NJDOT, traffic remains bad, according to a witness at the scene. 

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Crash On NJ Turnpike Shuts 2 Lanes Near Newark Airport Crash On NJ Turnpike Shuts 2 Lanes Near Newark Airport
Crash On NJ Turnpike Shuts 2 Lanes Near Newark Airport A crash on the New Jersey Turnpike near Newark Liberty International Airport caused significant delays Monday morning, Nov. 19, closing two left lanes in the northbound lanes, authorities said. The accident occurred around 8:30 a.m., just north of Interchange 13A, affecting traffic on Route 1&9 and surrounding areas. Emergency response vehicles were on the scene as of 9:10 a.m., working to clear the wreckage. Motorists are advised to expect delays and use alternate routes if possible. No information about injuries or the cause of the crash has been released at this time. This is a deve…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Hoboken Man Impersonated Cops: Police Hoboken Man Impersonated Cops: Police
Hoboken Man Impersonated Cops: Police A 43-year-old Hoboken man was arrested and charged with impersonating a police officer on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 26, authorities said. At 11:05 p.m., officers were on patrol when they observed a private vehicle with police lights and a siren trying to pull other vehicles over near the intersection of First and Court Streets, Hoboken police said.  Officers recognized the driver as Matthew Seriale and observed him to have slurred and slow speech, police said. Seriale refused a field sobriety test and was arrested for impersonating a police officer, police said…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
NJ Youth Soccer Coach Admits To Sexually Exploiting Players, Prosecutors Say NJ Youth Soccer Coach Admits To Sexually Exploiting Players, Prosecutors Say
NJ Youth Soccer Coach Admits To Sexually Exploiting Players, Prosecutors Say A Union Beach youth soccer coach admitted to molesting two players and sending sexual pictures to several others, authorities said. Ryan Gunsauls, 33, pleaded guilty during a hearing in superior court, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Monday, Nov. 18. The investigation began in May when a teen reported Gunsauls had asked for and shared sexually explicit material through a social media app. As the case developed, eight additional victims between 11 and 17 years old were identified. Gunsauls was held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution an…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
NJ Postmaster Dragged Female Employee Into Bathroom After Groping Her: Feds NJ Postmaster Dragged Female Employee Into Bathroom After Groping Her: Feds
NJ Postmaster Dragged Female Employee Into Bathroom After Groping Her: Feds A postmaster at the Teaneck Post Office is facing federal charges after being accused of sexually assaulting a female employee he was supervised, authorities said. Gabriel Ekram Pagabe Ali, 47, is charged with violating the woman’s civil rights and assaulting her while she was working as a City Carrier Assistant for the U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced. The incident happened on Nov. 26, 2022, when Ali groped the victim’s breasts and buttocks without her consen…

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by Cecilia Levine