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Police & Fire
NJ Cop Admits To Handcuffing Girl, Trying To Kiss Her: Prosecutor NJ Cop Admits To Handcuffing Girl, Trying To Kiss Her: Prosecutor
NJ Cop Admits To Handcuffing Girl, Trying To Kiss Her: Prosecutor A 49-year-old patrolman in the Manalapan Township Police Department admitted to engaging in illegal behavior involving two teenage girls, authorities announced Thursday, June 25. Kevin Ruditsky pleaded to guilty to computer criminal activity and endangering the welfare of a child, Monmouth County Raymond Santiago, said. Per the terms of a plea agreement, he faces up to 10 years in state prison. At Manalapan Township's annual National Night Out event in 2023, Ruditsky allowed a 16-year-old to sit in his patrol car, Santiago said. He later sent her sexually explicit messages and photos via so…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Sanitation Worker Struck, Hospitalized After Driver Says He Fell Asleep In River Edge: Source Sanitation Worker Struck, Hospitalized After Driver Says He Fell Asleep In River Edge: Source
Sanitation Worker Struck, Hospitalized After Driver Says He Fell Asleep In River Edge: Source A sanitation worker was hospitalized after being struck by a car while picking up trash along a road in River Edge on Friday morning, June 26. The crash happened just before 8 a.m. at 601 Bogert Rd. A co-worker in the truck told Daily Voice the worker was walking on the passenger side of a work truck collecting trash when a driver swerved off the roadway, went around the back of the truck, and struck him. The injured worker was taken to a nearby hospital. He was conscious but confused, sources on the scene said. His condition was not immediately available. River Edge police and emergency …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
New Charges For NJ Teacher Accused Of Sex With Student: Prosecutor New Charges For NJ Teacher Accused Of Sex With Student: Prosecutor
New Charges For NJ Teacher Accused Of Sex With Student: Prosecutor A 36-year-old former middle school teacher in New Jersey is facing additional charges after she was accused of having sex with one of her students, authorities announced Wednesday, June 24. A grand jury indicted Ashley Fisler, a Washington Township resident, on 12 counts including sexual assault of a minor, along with new charges of  pattern of misconduct, manufacturing child sexual abuse material, possession of child sexual abuse material, and distribution of obscenity to a minor, the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office. The victim, now an adult, said they had sexual relat…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Family Loses Home In Fire: Stafford PD Family Loses Home In Fire: Stafford PD
Family Loses Home In Fire: Stafford PD A fire severely damaged a home in Stafford Township on Wednesday, June 24, authorities said. Officers and firefighters responded to 1549 Breakers Dr. after the fire originated in the garage of the residence, Stafford Township police said. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, police said. The occupants of the residence were outside the home at the time the fire occurred and were not injured, police said. An investigation determined the fire may have originated from lithium-ion batteries that were being stored inside the garage, police said.. As a precaution, the Ocean Count…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Child Seriously Injured Among 3 Assaulted By Bergen County Realtor: Prosecutor Child Seriously Injured Among 3 Assaulted By Bergen County Realtor: Prosecutor
Child Seriously Injured Among 3 Assaulted By Bergen County Realtor: Prosecutor A 40-year-old Bergen County man is accused of assaulting three children at a local home, leaving one with significant injuries, authorities announced Thursday, June 25. Charging documents obtained by Daily Voice says Paul J. Gomez hit a child on the thigh with a belt. Gomez, of Garfield, appears to work as a real estate agent. The investigation began Sunday, June 21, after the New Jersey Division of Child Protection & Permanency contacted the prosecutor's office about an alleged physical assault involving three juveniles at a home in Fairview, according to Bergen County Prosecutor …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Services Set For Transit Union Leader Killed In NJ Father's Day Murder Suicide Services Set For Transit Union Leader Killed In NJ Father's Day Murder Suicide
Services Set For Transit Union Leader Killed In NJ Father's Day Murder Suicide A transit union leader killed in a North Bergen shooting on Father's Day is being remembered by colleagues as a dedicated advocate and friend. Manuel A. Colon, 61, was killed on Paterson Plank Road near 14th Street in North Bergen on Sunday, June 21, according to the Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello. Authorities identified Luciano Vargas, 59, as a person of interest in the shooting. Police responded to Vargas' home in Wayne, where he barricaded himself inside, Mello said. The Passaic County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team responded and Vargas was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunsho…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Hit-Run Driver Surrenders In Double-Fatal Newark Crosswalk Crash: Prosecutor Hit-Run Driver Surrenders In Double-Fatal Newark Crosswalk Crash: Prosecutor
Hit-Run Driver Surrenders In Double-Fatal Newark Crosswalk Crash: Prosecutor A Newark man has been charged in a hit-and-run crash that killed two women who were crossing a city street, authorities said. David J. Zapata-Vera, 26, of Newark, surrendered to police on Tuesday, June 23, in connection with the fatal crash that happened on Saturday, June 20, according to Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda. View this post on Instagram Zapata-Vera is charged with two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide, two counts of second-degree leaving the scene of a motor…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Hackensack Man Charged With Sodomizing Teen Released From Police Custody: Prosecutor Hackensack Man Charged With Sodomizing Teen Released From Police Custody: Prosecutor
Hackensack Man Charged With Sodomizing Teen Released From Police Custody: Prosecutor A 44-year-old Hackensack man was arrested on allegations he raped a child and was then released from police custody following an initial hearing, authorities said. ** WARNING: The following news article contains graphic information that many may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised. ** A criminal complaint obtained by Daily Voice says Jose E. Polanco sodomized the teen, who was between 13 and 16 years old. Polanco also allegedly performed fellatio on the child and made the child perform fellatio on him, the complaint says. The alleged assaults between the pair occurred be…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Man Met Girl For Sex: Ocean County Prosecutor NJ Man Met Girl For Sex: Ocean County Prosecutor
NJ Man Met Girl For Sex: Ocean County Prosecutor A 24-year-old Neptune City man was arrested and charged after he traveled to Manchester Township to meet a girl to have sex, authorities announced Wednesday, June 24. In April, Jake Hessels contacted a girl who lived in Manchester over Snapchat, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. After conversing and exchanging sexually explicit photographs electronically, Hessels met up with the girl and engaged in inappropriate sexual activity, Billhimer said. Hessels was taken into custody on Tuesday, June 2 and charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, possession of child sexu…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
NJ Man Beat 2-Month-Old Daughter Dead: Prosecutor NJ Man Beat 2-Month-Old Daughter Dead: Prosecutor
NJ Man Beat 2-Month-Old Daughter Dead: Prosecutor A 39-year-old Phillipsburg man has been charged in the death of his infant daughter, authorities announced Tuesday, June 23. James Capo Jr. is charged with homicide and endangering the welfare of a child following the 2025 death of Sophia Capo, who was two months old, the Warren County Prosecutor's Office said. At 2:10 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, Lopatcong police responded to the 700 block of Youngs Road and found Sophia unresponsive, authorities said. Officers performed CPR and she was eventually airlifted to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where she was pronounced dead a week later, …

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
NJ High School Senior Prank Under Investigation: Report NJ High School Senior Prank Under Investigation: Report
NJ High School Senior Prank Under Investigation: Report A senior prank at one New Jersey high school is no laughing matter. An investigation at Manchester Township High School is reportedly underway following a prank on Wednesday, June 17, the Asbury Park Press reports. A TikTok video shared by Tri-County Scanner News shows the school strewn with toilet paper both inside and outside the building and students sitting on top of the roof. Students put a "For Sale" sign over the school sign. Superintendent Diane Pedroza said in a statement that the senior prank "exceeded the expectations and guidelines that had been communicated to studen…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Man Charged After Shooting Woman: Monmouth County Prosecutor Man Charged After Shooting Woman: Monmouth County Prosecutor
Man Charged After Shooting Woman: Monmouth County Prosecutor A 21-year-old Keansburg man was arrested and charged after shooting a woman in Neptune Township Monday, June 22. At 5:43 p.m., Neptune police responded to a shooting at Asbury Park Circle and Route 35 South, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said. While police were investigating,  a woman arrived at a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound, Santiago said. Jaiden Edwards was identified as the person responsible for the shooting and he is charged with attempted murder and multiple weapons offenses, Santiago said.

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by Sam Barron