Fog/Mist 63°
Police & Fire
Former NJ Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Another Student Years Ago: Prosecutors Former NJ Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Another Student Years Ago: Prosecutors
Former NJ Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Another Student Years Ago: Prosecutors A former Wall Township High School teacher was facing more charges after she was accused of sexually assaulting a second student, authorities said. Julie Rizzitello, 36, of Brick Township, was charged with one count of second-degree sexual assault and one count of third-degree witness tampering, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Wednesday, July 17.  She was previously charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, third-degree witness tampering, and three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. Investigators said they found e…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Forest Fire Erupts At 9,400-Acre Military Facility In NJ After Morning Munitions 'Activity' Forest Fire Erupts At 9,400-Acre Military Facility In NJ After Morning Munitions 'Activity'
Forest Fire Erupts At 9,400-Acre Military Facility In NJ After Morning Munitions 'Activity' The New Jersey Forest Fire Service was on scene of a wildfire that erupted at a 9,400-acre munitions facility after a morning of testing, officials confirmed Tuesday afternoon, July 16. The NJ Forest Fire Service was called to the Warren Grove Air to Ground Range in Ocean County at approximately 2:45 p.m., they said in a post to Facebook. The Little Egg Harbor Police Department this morning warned of "activity" at the 9,400-acre range in Ocean County.  Some were speculating that loud booms heard and felt across New York and New Jersey were a result of something at the range. Noth…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Infant Left In Hot Car By Dad Dies In New Jersey, Prosecutor Says Infant Left In Hot Car By Dad Dies In New Jersey, Prosecutor Says
Infant Left In Hot Car By Dad Dies In New Jersey, Prosecutor Says A Jackson Township man was accused of leaving his two-month-old daughter in a hot vehicle, causing the baby to die, authorities said. Avraham Chaitovsky, 28, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Tuesday, July 16. Lakewood police responded to a report of a child in cardiac arrest on New Egypt Road at around 1:45 p.m. on Monday, July 15. Officers found Hatzolah Medical Services giving lifesaving aid to the eight-week-old girl but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators sai…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Fireball Traveling 34,000 MPH Over NYC Caused Loud Boom Heard Across Tristate: NASA Fireball Traveling 34,000 MPH Over NYC Caused Loud Boom Heard Across Tristate: NASA
Fireball Traveling 34,000 MPH Over NYC Caused Loud Boom Heard Across Tristate: NASA The mysterious boom heard and felt across the tristate area may have been caused by a meteor passing through the area, NASA says. Locals reported hearing thunder-like booms and rattling just after 11:20 a.m. Tuesday, July 16.  The USGS ruled out earthquakes, and residents across the tri-state reported witnessing fireballs to the American Meteor Society. After hours of anticipating, NASA confirmed a "daylight fireball" over New York City at 11:17 a.m. Reports filed on the American Meteor Society website permitted "a very crude determination of the trajectory of the meteor," …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Man Killed, Dismembered By 5 People Including Murder Suspect Before SWAT Standoff: Cops NJ Man Killed, Dismembered By 5 People Including Murder Suspect Before SWAT Standoff: Cops
NJ Man Killed, Dismembered By 5 People Including Murder Suspect Before SWAT Standoff: Cops Four people from Ocean County were accused of helping a murder suspect dismember the body of a Toms River man who was killed in his home, authorities said. Elizabeth Mascarelli, 29, of Seaside Heights; Danielle Bolstad, 42, of Barnegat; Jared Krysiak, 34, of Brick Township; and Jarred Palumbo, 36, of Manchester, were facing charges in the case, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Monday, July 15. Their charges were related to the killing of 56-year-old Kerry Rollason. Investigators said Rollason was killed by 35-ye…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Water Restrictions Issued Across These Jersey Shore Counties Water Restrictions Issued Across These Jersey Shore Counties
Water Restrictions Issued Across These Jersey Shore Counties Customers in two counties were asked to conserve water as crews made emergency repairs at a treatment plant, officials said. New Jersey American Water issued a mandatory outdoor water conservation restriction for customers in Monmouth and Ocean counties, the company said in a news release on Sunday, July 14. The order was expected to last for 48 hours. The company said crews will fix a 36-inch valve at its Jumping Brook Water Treatment Plant in Neptune. "Increased summer demands" were also cited as a reason for the restrictions. The order applies to customers in the fol…

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by Chris Spiker
News
$1.13B Mega Millions Ticket Unclaimed More Than Three Months After NJ's Record Jackpot $1.13B Mega Millions Ticket Unclaimed More Than Three Months After NJ's Record Jackpot
$1.13B Mega Millions Ticket Unclaimed More Than Three Months After NJ's Record Jackpot The winner of a Mega Millions ticket purchased in New Jersey hasn't claimed the $1.13 billion prize more than three months after the record-setting jackpot, officials said. The winning ticket was sold at the ShopRite Wine & Spirits on Route 66 in Neptune for the drawing on Tuesday, Mar. 26. The New Jersey Lottery said the prize remained unclaimed in a news release on Monday, July 8.  The jackpot was the largest lottery prize ever in the Garden State. It's also the fifth-largest in Mega Millions history and the ninth-largest ever in the U.S. The winning numbers were …

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by Chris Spiker
News
Tattooed Gunman Charged With Shooting NJ Victim In Face In Tag-Team Assault: Prosecutor Tattooed Gunman Charged With Shooting NJ Victim In Face In Tag-Team Assault: Prosecutor
Tattooed Gunman Charged With Shooting NJ Victim In Face In Tag-Team Assault: Prosecutor A 26-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after shooting another man in his face last month, authorities in Ocean County said. Michael Vulpis, 26, was arrested at his home in Freehold on Wednesday, July 3, in connection with the June 27 incident in Jackson Township, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. The 27-year-old victim and a female were sitting in a parked car outside of a home on Larsen Road when a blue sedan then parked in front of the vehicle, blocking it in, Billhimer said.  Vulpis and another man got out of the blue sedan, approached the ve…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Cops ID Suspect In 25-Year-Old Manchester Mom's Murder Cops ID Suspect In 25-Year-Old Manchester Mom's Murder
Cops ID Suspect In 25-Year-Old Manchester Mom's Murder Police were looking for a Manchester Township man accused of killing a mother from Seaside Heights, authorities said. Maxwell Johnston, 35, was wanted for murder and several other charges, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Wednesday, July 3. He was identified as the suspect in the shooting death of 25-year-old Gabriella Caroleo on Thursday, June 27. Manchester police responded to a report of a gunshot victim near the intersection of Ridgeway and Hope Chapel roads at around 4:55 p.m. Officers found Caroleo with a wound to her stomach…

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by Chris Spiker
Traffic
Pavement Heave Causes Major Traffic Jam On Garden State Parkway Pavement Heave Causes Major Traffic Jam On Garden State Parkway
Pavement Heave Causes Major Traffic Jam On Garden State Parkway Morning rush hour traffic appeared to be moving smoothly on the Garden State Parkway after buckled pavement caused major delays in Toms River. A pavement heave was found on the southbound side near milepost 82.7, the parkway said on Twitter at 5:47 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2. Emergency repairs forced the right lane to close, causing significant delays during a busy Fourth of July holiday travel week. Heaves can happen when moisture underneath pavement expands during hot weather, especially when temperatures are above 90 degrees, according to AccuWeather. Posted by Scott Binkley o…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors
NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors A state trooper was accused of trying to pay for sex from someone he believed was a teen girl and asking for sexual pictures, authorities said. Shane Dempsey, 31, of Brick Township, was arrested in Ewing on Monday, July 1, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release. Investigators said Dempsey contacted an undercover detective on the social media app Whisper earlier in 2024.  Prosecutors said Dempsey asked for "sexually explicit images" from the detective, who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. He also said he would pay money for a sex act fro…

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by Chris Spiker
Obituaries
Victim Of Ocean County Shooting, 25, Was 'Vibrant' Mom Survived By Young Son, Obituary Says Victim Of Ocean County Shooting, 25, Was 'Vibrant' Mom Survived By Young Son, Obituary Says
Victim Of Ocean County Shooting, 25, Was 'Vibrant' Mom Survived By Young Son, Obituary Says Shock and sadness spread following the shooting death of a Gabriella Caroleo, a 25-year-old Ocean County resident. Gabriella was identified by a GoFundMe campaign as the victim of the Thursday, June, 27 Manchester shooting. Among those left mourning her loss is her son, Calvin Brodie Jr., who is 3 years old. "Gabriella has left us all way to soon," reads the campaign launched by Matthew Souders. "She was taken from us on June 27th in the horrific shooting in Manchester. The family is so heartbroken over this tragic loss." "We are raising money for Gabriella’s funeral so we all can say our…

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by Cecilia Levine