Murder Suspect Linked To Carjacking That Sent Owner Flying Off Hood In Lodi: Officials Murder Suspect Linked To Carjacking That Sent Owner Flying Off Hood In Lodi: Officials Murder Suspect Linked To Carjacking That Sent Owner Flying Off Hood In Lodi: Officials
Murder Suspect Linked To Carjacking That Sent Owner Flying Off Hood In Lodi: Officials A Paterson man already charged in a murder has now been hit with carjacking and robbery charges in a separate case, three days prior in Bergen County, authorities said. Davon White, 18, and a 17-year-old juvenile from Passaic County were charged following a March 12 carjacking in Lodi, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said Wednesday, June 11. Around 10 p.m. that night, a man’s car was stolen from outside a business on Route 46 West, Musella said. The victim tried to stop the thieves by jumping onto the hood of his car while it was stopped at a red light, according to Musella. Whe…
Motorcyclist Seriously Injured In Clifton Garden State Parkway Crash, Police Say Motorcyclist Seriously Injured In Clifton Garden State Parkway Crash, Police Say Motorcyclist Seriously Injured In Clifton Garden State Parkway Crash, Police Say
Motorcyclist Seriously Injured In Clifton Garden State Parkway Crash, Police Say A motorcyclist was seriously injured in an early morning crash on the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey State Police said. Troopers responded to the scene in Clifton at 1:33 a.m. on Sunday, June 9, near milepost 156.8 on the southbound side of the Parkway in Passaic County. According to a preliminary investigation, the Verona man, 53, was riding south when he "lost directional control, and the motorcycle overturned." The motorcyclist was ejected from the motorcycle and sustained serious injuries, police said. “The crash remains under investigation,” officials said Sunday. “No additional inf…
Paterson Teen Charged In Killing Over Gold Chain: Prosecutor Paterson Teen Charged In Killing Over Gold Chain: Prosecutor Paterson Teen Charged In Killing Over Gold Chain: Prosecutor
Paterson Teen Charged In Killing Over Gold Chain: Prosecutor A 17-year-old boy from Paterson has been charged in the fatal shooting of a 42-year-old man during an attempted robbery last month, authorities announced. The charges stem from a May 11, shooting near Rosa Parks Boulevard and Lafayette Street, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announced on Saturday, June 7. Police say the victim, Rulsy Mata Sosa, also of Paterson, was approached by three individuals who tried to steal his gold chain. One of them fired a gun, hitting Sosa. He was taken to Saint Joseph’s University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The teen was one of t…
Morris County's Longest Trail Just Opened — And It's Stunning Morris County's Longest Trail Just Opened — And It's Stunning Morris County's Longest Trail Just Opened — And It's Stunning
Morris County's Longest Trail Just Opened — And It's Stunning After three decades of planning, a long-awaited 5.1-mile bike and pedestrian path has officially opened in North Jersey. The Pompton Valley Rail Trail — built on the former New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway line — was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, May 29, behind the Pequannock First Aid Squad. “This new trail provides a safe and scenic way to walk or bike to the train station — cutting down on car traffic and helping everyone breathe a little easier,” said Morris County Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen. The trail runs from River Drive in Pequannock to M…
Haledon Man, 20, Takes Fatal Fall Out Of Jeep Wrangler In West Milford: Prosecutor Haledon Man, 20, Takes Fatal Fall Out Of Jeep Wrangler In West Milford: Prosecutor Haledon Man, 20, Takes Fatal Fall Out Of Jeep Wrangler In West Milford: Prosecutor
Haledon Man, 20, Takes Fatal Fall Out Of Jeep Wrangler In West Milford: 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 …
Unlicensed Pompton Lakes DWI Driver Tries Switching Seats After Bloomingdale Crash: Cops Unlicensed Pompton Lakes DWI Driver Tries Switching Seats After Bloomingdale Crash: Cops Unlicensed Pompton Lakes DWI Driver Tries Switching Seats After Bloomingdale Crash: Cops
Unlicensed Pompton Lakes DWI Driver Tries Switching Seats After Bloomingdale Crash: Cops A 19-year-old Passaic County man was charged with DWI after crashing into another car and allegedly trying to switch seats with a passenger, police said. The crash happened around 2:30 a.m. near Main Street and Ryerson Avenue in Bloomingdale on Friday, May 23, just hours after the department launched its Memorial Day weekend enforcement efforts. Officers arrived to find two heavily damaged vehicles and learned that one had crossed the double yellow line before impact, police said. During the investigation, officers determined that “the occupants of the suspect vehicle had attempted to swit…
Doctors Warned Him Not To Drive, He Did Anyway: Now He's Guilty In Deadly Paterson Crash Doctors Warned Him Not To Drive, He Did Anyway: Now He's Guilty In Deadly Paterson Crash Doctors Warned Him Not To Drive, He Did Anyway: Now He's Guilty In Deadly Paterson Crash
Doctors Warned Him Not To Drive, He Did Anyway: Now He's Guilty In Deadly Paterson Crash A Florida man who ran a stop sign and killed a pedestrian in Paterson in 2019 has been found guilty of reckless vehicular homicide, authorities announced. Alvin W. Mootoo, 52, of Orlando, FL, was convicted by a jury on Monday, May 19, following a trial in Passaic County Superior Court, according to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes. The jury returned verdicts of guilty for Death by Auto / Reckless Vehicular Homicide and Assault by Auto, Valdes said. According to trial evidence, the crash happened on Jan. 2, 2019, when Mootoo was driving a black Buick Encore at approximately 55 mi…
‘American Dream Reduced To Ashes’: Support Surges After Pompton Lakes Chinese Restaurant Fire ‘American Dream Reduced To Ashes’: Support Surges After Pompton Lakes Chinese Restaurant Fire ‘American Dream Reduced To Ashes’: Support Surges After Pompton Lakes Chinese Restaurant Fire
‘American Dream Reduced To Ashes’: Support Surges After Pompton Lakes Chinese Restaurant Fire More than $3,000 has been raised to help two families rebuild after a fire destroyed the Passaic County Chinese restaurant they spent more than a decade building from the ground up. Winnie and Shirley, who immigrated from Southern China, took over Golden Garden in 2013, according to a GoFundMe by Kathryn Spitz. With their husbands, they worked 10- to 12-hour days, seven days a week, building the restaurant into a beloved local favorite on Hamburg Turnpike. On April 17, their American Dream went up in flames. “In less than two hours, the livelihood of two young families… was reduced to ashe…
Ex-Library Staffer From Hawthorne Admits Embezzling $3.2M From Couple Who Trusted Him, Feds Say Ex-Library Staffer From Hawthorne Admits Embezzling $3.2M From Couple Who Trusted Him, Feds Say Ex-Library Staffer From Hawthorne Admits Embezzling $3.2M From Couple Who Trusted Him, Feds Say
Ex-Library Staffer From Hawthorne Admits Embezzling $3.2M From Couple Who Trusted Him, Feds Say A Passaic County man and former tech administrator at a Bergen County library admitted to embezzling more than $3.2 million from a local couple who had hired him as a part-time personal assistant, federal prosecutors said. Charles Gallo, 34, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to one count of wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said Friday, May 2. Gallo began working for the victims in 2018, helping manage their bills, banking, emails, and tech issues, court documents say. From March 2022 to March 2023, Gallo used his access to steal millions, including making ATM withdra…
Final Ride Will Honor Cranford Motorcyclist Killed In Crash Final Ride Will Honor Cranford Motorcyclist Killed In Crash Final Ride Will Honor Cranford Motorcyclist Killed In Crash
Final Ride Will Honor Cranford Motorcyclist Killed In Crash Family, friends, and strangers across North Jersey are rallying around the loved ones of Michael Mendonca-Lopez, the 23-year-old motorcyclist killed in a Passaic County crash over the weekend. A wake will be held for Lopez on Wednesday, April 30, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at August F. Schmidt Memorial Funeral Home in Elizabeth, according to his obituary. His memorial service will begin the following morning, Thursday, May 1 at 9 a.m., at the same location.  Michael will then take his final ride to Rosedale Cemetery in Linden, escorted by fellow bikers with PISC Motards Motorcycle Club. Lo…
DUI Driver Flees Scene Without Child Rescued By Concerned Citizens In Wayne: Cops DUI Driver Flees Scene Without Child Rescued By Concerned Citizens In Wayne: Cops DUI Driver Flees Scene Without Child Rescued By Concerned Citizens In Wayne: Cops
DUI Driver Flees Scene Without Child Rescued By Concerned Citizens In Wayne: Cops A 39-year-old Passaic County man is facing a slew of charges after police say he crashed his car and then tried to flee the scene, leaving a child that had been in the vehicle behind with concerned citizens. The unsettling incident unfolded at approximately 2:50 p.m. Thursday, April 24, when Wayne police officers were called to Terhune Drive and Alder Avenue, Wayne Police Capt. Daniel Daly said.  There, officers learned that a vehicle operated by Seyon Rodriguez, of Pompton Lakes, had left the roadway and struck a mailbox, according to Daly. Witnesses told police that t…
Motorcyclist, 23, Killed In Ringwood Crash: Prosecutor Motorcyclist, 23, Killed In Ringwood Crash: Prosecutor Motorcyclist, 23, Killed In Ringwood Crash: Prosecutor
Motorcyclist, 23, Killed In Ringwood Crash: Prosecutor A young motorcyclist was killed in a crash with an SUV in Passaic County, authorities said. ALSO SEE: Final Ride Will Honor Cranford Motorcyclist Killed In Crash The collision happened Sunday, April 27, at around 5:30 p.m. near Skyline Drive and Greenwood Lake Drive in Ringwood, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Ringwood Police Chief Peter McGinty said. Michael Mendonca-Lopez, 23, of Cranford, was riding a motorcycle when he collided with a Jeep Cherokee SUV, officials said. Mendonca-Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene, Valdes and McGinty said. The occupants of the J…