BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ (OCEAN)–Around 8:45 p.m. last night June 13, 2022, Seaside Heights and Seaside Park Fire Departments were requested to respond to Island Beach State Park for a search for a missing person. Rescue crews started their search in Area 22 and NJ State Police and U.S. Coast Guard Helicopters were requested for assistance.
Ocean County Stations 45 – Seaside Park Fire Department, 44 – Seaside Heights Fire Department, 69 – Lavallette Fire Department, 27 – Ocean Beach Fire Department and 53 – Island Heights Fire Department all responded.
MidJersey.News has reached out to the NJ Park Police for details and when public information becomes available the story will be updated.
Photos by: Ryan Mack, Jersey Shore Fire Response
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TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri and Lawrence Township Police Chief Christopher Longo announced today that an investigation conducted by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the Lawrence Township Police Department has resulted in the arrest of a Trenton man for the shooting death of Anthony Irizarry.
Paul X. McNeil, 37, is charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree felony murder, one count of first-degree robbery, and three weapons offenses. He was served his charges this week at the Mercer County Correction Center where he is being detained on an unrelated case.
At approximately 12:30 a.m. on August 11, 2023, Lawrence police responded to a residence on Mendrey Court after receiving a 911 phone call that someone had been shot. Upon arrival, officers located 36-year-old Irizarry in the living room suffering from a gunshot wound to the back. He was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact MCHTF Detective Chris Pullen at (609) 989-6406 or OIC William Jett at (609) 331-5010. Information can also be emailed to [email protected].
Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Shot And Killed In His Home In Lawrence Township
Paul X. McNeil, 37, of Trenton, NJ, is charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree felony murder, one count of first-degree robbery, and three weapons offenses. He was served his charges this week at the Mercer County Correction Center where he is being detained on an unrelated case.
Police Seek Help Identifying Suspect in Carjackingof Vehicle with 3-Year-Old Child Inside
Newark Public Safety Director Fritz G. Fragé requests the public’s help in identifying the below-pictured suspect in connection with a carjacking that occurred with a male child inside the vehicle today, Tuesday, October 31, 2023.
At approximately 8:13 a.m., Police responded to the 100 block of Wilson Avenue on a call of a carjacked vehicle taken with a 3-year-old child left inside. Police immediately canvassed the area for a 2017 silver-colored Hyundai Sonata. An Amber Alert was issued at approximately 9:55 a.m. At approximately 10:30 a.m. Police located the vehicle in Jersey City with the child inside and unharmed.
Newark Police detectives observed on surveillance cameras the below-pictured suspect in this incident, who may be a female. Detectives are seeking the public’s help to quickly identify this suspect for questioning.
Director Fragé urges anyone with information about the identity of this suspect to call the Police Division’s 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477). All anonymous Crime Stopper tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward.
Anonymous tips may also be made using the Police Division’s website at: https://www.newarkpublicsafety.org/how-do-i/submit-a-crime-tip/.
UPDATE:
Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé at approximately 8:13 a.m. today, Tuesday, October 31, 2023, Police responded to the 100 block of Wilson Avenue on a call of a carjacked vehicle taken with a 3-year-old child left inside. An Amber Alert was issued at approximately 9:55 a.m. At approximately 10:30 a.m. Police located the vehicle in Jersey City with the child inside and unharmed. This incident remains under investigation. No further information is available.
NEWARK, NJ — An Amber Alert was issued for a child abduction of Pedro Dasilva a 3-year-old child last seen in Newark New Jersey. The child was last seen wearing a red hooded sweatshirt and gray pants. The suspect is a black male wearing a black Northface jacket, black pants and white sneakers. Suspect vehicle is a Silver Hynda Sonata with New Jersey registration number S27SLD If you happen to see the vehicle notify police 9-1-1
Further information will be posted as it becomes available.
From live video feed from CBS New York from a helicopter above the scene it appears that police have the suspect vehicle and a child fitting the description provided in the Amber Alert was placed in the back of an ambulance and transported to Jersey City Medical Center
CBS News New York appears to have a helicopter over the scene click to see live feed:
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on June 24, 2021, Jamal Preston, 26, of Egg Harbor Township, was indicted by a Grand Jury sitting in Ocean County on a charge of Attempted Murder in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1 and N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3a(1), in connection with a fire he intentionally set to a residential home in Lakewood on August 22, 2020. Preston was also indicted on four counts of Aggravated Arson in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1a.
On August 22, 2020, the Lakewood Township Police Department responded to a report of a fire at a residence in Lakewood. An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Ocean County Fire Marshals Office, and New Jersey State Fire Marshals K-9 Unit, determined that the fire had been intentionally set utilizing an ignitable liquid and an open flame. Further investigation determined that Preston did, in fact, intentionally set the fire while the residence was occupied by three individuals. Preston fled the scene, but was arrested at a motel in Absecon by the United States Marshals Service on August 31, 2020. He has been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since his apprehension.
Prosecutor Billhimer commends the diligent efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Meghan O’Neill who is handling the case on behalf of the State, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Lakewood Township Police Department, Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Ocean County Fire Marshals Office, New Jersey State Fire Marshals K-9 Unit, United States Marshals Service, Egg Harbor Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Berkeley Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and South Toms River Police Department, for their collaborative assistance in connection with this investigation resulting in today’s indictment.
The charges referenced above are merely accusations and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
UPDATE: Sources tell MidJersey.News that a body was found in the water just off the beach at Island Beach State Park just after 12:00 p.m. today and a recovery operation was underway. Check back for updates.
A NJDEP Spokesperson did verify that a body was found at 11:05 a.m.
Updated with the latest information:
BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ (OCEAN)–A spokesperson from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection stated that a multi-agency search for a 59-year-old woman reported missing late yesterday after entering the ocean at Island Beach State Park resumed this morning. Coordinated by New Jersey State Park Police, agencies participating in the search efforts are the U.S. Coast Guard, New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit, Berkely Township Police, the Ocean Beach Fire Department, the Seaside Park Fire Department, the Seaside Heights Fire Department, the Lavallette Fire Department and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office. New Jersey State Park Police were made aware of a missing person in the A22 area of the park around 8:20 p.m. Monday. A man reported that his wife had entered the water south of A22 and had not returned. A search was immediately launched on land and on the water. The search was suspended at midnight and resumed at 8 a.m. today.
Earlier MidJersey.News story here:
Search For Missing Person On Island Beach State Park
Photos by: Ryan Mack, Jersey Shore Fire Response
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Point Pleasant Beach P.D. is the Latest to Achieve Accreditation
October 31, 2023
POINT PLEASANT BEACH –– When Point Pleasant Beach Police Chief Robert Kowalewski embarked on the voluntary accreditation process through the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP), he had no idea his department would become the spotlight of the program.
The Point Pleasant Police Department has earned the distinction of becoming the 300th law enforcement agency to go through the detailed process, which ensures that internal policies and procedures meet the highest professional standards and industry best practices.
“We received strong support from the Township Council to undergo this process, as we work to increase our overall performance and greater accountability to residents,” Kowalewski said. “We are a summer tourism community; our police department swells to nearly 100 officers in the summer for a town of only 5,000 all-year residents. We want to keep Point Pleasant Beach as a family-friendly community. Ensuring our police department follows best practices is a main objective.”
Earning accreditation is never easy, as law enforcement officers at every level of the department need to fully embrace the lengthy and detailed process, with regular inspections from NJSACOP accreditors over the course of a two-year assessment. For those departments that earn this important designation, it expires within three years, requiring police departments to keep up with myriad requirements.
For South Brunswick Police Chief Ray Hayducka, the accreditation process through the NJSACOP Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (NJSACOP LEAP) has been well worth it. His department, with 89 sworn officers, began the accreditation process in 2007, among the first group of police departments in New Jersey to undergo the rigorous NJSACOP process.
“There were plenty of unknowns at the beginning; we really needed to explain the benefits to the Township Council,” the police chief recalled. “It has been a great building tool for us. You really can’t afford not to be accredited.”
Hayducka, who has served as police chief of the Middlesex County suburb for 18 years, noted that accreditation has helped his police department recruit quality police officers, lower liability, reduce lawsuits and enhance the police force to the level of a model agency. Because of accreditation, the department has also seen an ongoing reduction in its insurance costs.
“We have a community of 48,000 residents, in which 80% of adults are college educated. Our residents understand the importance of professionalism and a process of self-checking,” Hayducka said. “It has been a selling point for recruitment and was recognized in our contract, as township leaders know that police departments that use best practices should be fairly compensated.”
The NJSACOP LEAP is administered by Program Director Harry J. Delgado, Ed.S., who receives reports from assessment team leaders and field representatives as they work with police departments statewide. The program is overseen by the NJSACOP Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, comprising law enforcement experts with the overall responsibility of adopting program standards, reviewing of all assessment reports, and approving all recommendations for the granting of accredited status of applicant agencies.
Delgado explained that police departments are required to conduct a thorough self-analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to better serve the public. When the procedures are in place, a team of trained, independent assessors verify that the applicable standards have been successfully implemented, Delgado said.
He is quick to note that NJSACOP LEAP accreditation does not ensure mistake-free policing or crime-free communities. Nor will it stop citizens from suing police departments and their leaders.
“Accreditation is a progressive and time-proven method of assisting law enforcement agencies to improve their overall performance,” Delgado explained. “The foundation focuses on the adoption of standards with a clear statement of professional objectives. Participating agencies conduct a thorough self-analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet those critical standards and objectives. Our team of trained, independent assessors verifies that the applicable standards are implemented.”
Another vocal supporter of NJSACOP LEAP is Montville Police Chief Andrew Caggiano, who helped guide his Morris County department through the initial process in 2013 and ensures his department of 41 officers is well prepared for re-accreditation every three years.
“In 2013, we learned that our policies and procedures were outdated,” said Caggiano, who served as his department’s initial accreditation manager. “Once we had our policies and procedures in place, the NJSACOP assessors wanted proof. They looked for examples in our police reports and radio transmissions that we were following our new policies. It took us a year to become fully accredited. It wasn’t my full-time job at the time, but it sure felt like it.”
During the process, the Montville Police Department learned about new technologies that could enhance policing in the 20-square-mile suburb. Town leaders were supportive, funding new laptops for police cruisers, updating the evidence tracking system and upgrading police headquarters.
“The accreditation process gives our officers great guidance for what can be a very complex job,” Caggiano said. “It gives them the confidence they need, which leads to a more professional police force for our 22,000 residents. We now see fewer internal affairs complaints, less lawsuits and better community relations. Accreditation really helps further trust with the entire community.”
In South Jersey, Voorhees Police Chief Lou Bordi is one of the most vocal proponents of NJSACOP LEAP accreditation. The Camden County community received accreditation in 2019 and earned the designation again in 2022. Bordi is also currently serving as the police chief in Berlin Township, which is now undergoing the initial process. He expects accreditation within 18 months.
“When I began looking into accreditation, I learned that some insurance companies provide grants for the process, as a more professional police department runs with more efficiency and with less insurance risk,” he said. “When I did the math and saw that accreditation would reduce our insurance premiums by $14,000 a year, it quickly became obvious what we needed to do. Accreditation pays for itself.”
Bordi said it is a tremendous benefit to have independent, outside assessors review his departments’ policies and procedures. “You learn what operations you are doing well and what areas need improvement,” he said. “The goal is to meet and exceed the industry’s best practices.”
He noted that assessors drill deep into department operations, such as ensuring evidence lockers have multiple locks and separate weapons from drugs. The systems also ensure that a limited number of officers have access to these lockers and that video cameras are placed in strategic locations to ensure accountability.
“The police officers have more confidence in the administration through this process,” Bordi said. “They know that everything we are doing shows that we are looking out for them and that we are committed to creating a more professional product for the people we serve.”
28 Municipalities Receive Notices of Violation for Publishing LGBTQIA+ Exclusionary Marriage License Application Forms On Their Websites
DCR has issued Notices of Violation to the following 28 municipalities: Audubon, Carney’s Point, Chester Township, Commercial, Delran, Fair Haven, Farmingdale, Hi-Nella, Lopatcong, Lumberton, Manasquan, Milltown, Morris Plains, Morristown, Ocean Gate, Oceanport, Old Bridge, Pemberton, Pennsauken, Pohatcong, Raritan Borough, Stockton, Sussex Borough, Vineland, West Cape May, Westhampton, Westville, and Woodlynne.
March 8, 2023
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) announced today that DCR has issued Notices of Violation to 28 municipalities across the state for allegedly violating the Law Against Discrimination by publishing marriage license application forms on their websites that exclude certain LGBTQIA+ individuals seeking to obtain marriage licenses.
The Notices of Violation announced today have been issued to 28 municipalities that have posted marriage license application forms on their websites that do not permit nonbinary people to apply for marriage licenses unless they misgender themselves, under oath, as either “m” (male) or “f” (female). That practice is inconsistent with the marriage license application currently published by the New Jersey Department of Health, which has included a third gender option for nonbinary applicants and other people with undesignated or unspecified gender identities since 2019.
DCR has issued Notices of Violation to the following 28 municipalities: Audubon, Carney’s Point, Chester Township, Commercial, Delran, Fair Haven, Farmingdale, Hi-Nella, Lopatcong, Lumberton, Manasquan, Milltown, Morris Plains, Morristown, Ocean Gate, Oceanport, Old Bridge, Pemberton, Pennsauken, Pohatcong, Raritan Borough, Stockton, Sussex Borough, Vineland, West Cape May, Westhampton, Westville, and Woodlynne.
In each case, the Notice of Violation advises that the exclusionary gender options in the municipality’s marriage application form violates New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination (LAD). The LAD prohibits places of public accommodation from discriminating on the basis of real or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and gender expression. Under the LAD, it is also unlawful for a place of public accommodation to display or post any communication or notice indicating that any of their offerings are unavailable based on a person’s sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression.
“Marriage equality is not just the law. It is a fundamental right,” said Attorney General Platkin. “The marriage equality enforcement actions we are announcing today reflect our continued commitment to ensuring that municipal governments do not discriminate against couples seeking marriage licenses on the basis of their gender, gender identity, or gender expression.”
“The law in New Jersey is crystal clear: No one can be denied the fundamental right to marry based on their gender identity,” said DCR Director Sundeep Iyer. “Municipalities have an obligation to ensure that they are not excluding LGBTQIA+ individuals from applying for marriage licenses. Today’s enforcement actions underscore our ongoing commitment to ensuring that marriage equality remains a reality for our State’s LGBTQIA+ residents.”
The Notices of Violation announced today are the latest enforcement actions taken as part of DCR’s Marriage Equality Enforcement Initiative, which was launched in October 2022. The Marriage Equality Enforcement Initiative seeks to ensure that municipal governments across New Jersey comply with the LAD by providing gender-inclusive and non-discriminatory marriage licensing applications and instructions to the general public.
The discriminatory language used by municipalities to describe marriage licensing requirements was first flagged in Marriage Equality in New Jersey: A Latina/o/x Perspective, a joint report issued in July 2022 by the Latino Action Network, Hudson P.R.I.D.E., and Garden State Equality. The report found that the websites of certain municipalities violated the LAD by expressly limiting marriage licenses to “opposite-sex couples.” DCR’s investigation identified other discriminatory language employed by municipalities, including the exclusionary gender options identified in the Notices of Violation announced today.
Among other things, the Notices of Violation issued by DCR warn each municipality that the marriage license application form published on their websites violates the LAD, and that such violations could result in financial penalties of up to $10,000.
The Notices of Violation also contain an offer of settlement. If the municipality does not contest the facts as set out by DCR, it can resolve the matter by entering into an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance agreement. That agreement requires, among other things, that the municipality:
Update its websites to state that marriage licenses are available to qualifying couples of all gender compositions;
Ensure that its website does not contain gender-restrictive language regarding who may obtain a marriage license, and that the services the municipality offers will be open to all persons on an equal basis without regard to sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression;
Adopt a written policy prohibiting discrimination against persons using or seeking to use the municipality’s offerings and services;
Provide LAD training on compliance with the written anti-discrimination policy to all municipal employees involved in drafting website language and in issuing licenses; and
Remit to DCR a payment in lieu of penalty.
The Marriage Equality Enforcement Initiative will continue to investigate other possible violations related to the posting of marriage licensing information by municipalities across the State. The Initiative is being led by DCR’s Strategic Initiatives and Enforcement Unit, including Interim Chief Aarin Williams and Legal Specialist Iris Bromberg.
***
DCR is the state agency responsible for preventing and eliminating discrimination and bias-based harassment in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation (e.g., places open to the public like schools, businesses, hospitals, etc.). DCR enforces the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), the New Jersey Family Leave Act, and the Fair Chance in Housing Act (FCHA).
DCR has developed various fact sheets about the LAD’s protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression in housing, employment, and places open to the public. To learn more, visit https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-on-civil-rights-home/division-on-civil-rights-resources/.
TRENTON (Mercer) – Firefighters investigating a haze of smoke discovered a fire inside a city public works building this evening (Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023). It was about 7:30 p.m. when Battalion 1 and Rescue 1, returning to quarters from a previous assignment, spotted a smoke condition in the 400 block of Brunswick Avenue. Investigating, they discovered the smoke appeared to be coming from a large warehouse on the grounds of the city’s municipal waste facility at 476 Brunswick Avenue. Firefighters accessed the gated property, then made entry to the building to find the smoke was coming from a burning garbage truck.
Additional firefighters from Engines 10, 1, 6 and 7, Ladders 4 and 1, and Special Services 1 were called to the scene as the “All Hands” signal for a working fire was transmitted. Firefighters stretched a 2.5-inch hoseline and attempted to extinguish the fire. However, it was found that the fire was burning inside the closed trash hopper of the garbage truck. With the help of a city public works employee, firefighters moved the truck outside to an empty area of the property, where it posed no further hazard to the building. While the fire never spread to the building itself, there was a significant amount of smoke inside the structure that firefighters had to clear out with fans.
Around 9:15 p.m. it was reported that efforts to clear all the smoke out of the building were still underway. It was also reported that firefighters were still working with public works personnel to get into the trash hopper, as damage to the truck’s hydraulic lines had made it impossible for the opening mechanism to function properly.
NEWARK, N.J. – A Concord, New Hampshire, man pleaded guilty today in federal court in connection with the exploitation of a minor in New Jersey and possession of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger and U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
Scott Wilkinson, 38, pleaded guilty to one count each of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material before U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante in federal court in New Hampshire.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Wilkinson traveled from New Hampshire to New Jersey in April 2022, where he engaged in sexual acts with a 12-year-old child. Wilkinson had been corresponding with the child online for approximately one year prior to traveling to New Jersey to meet the child. A video that Wilkinson created of himself engaged in sexual acts with the child was found on his cell phone, as were other images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
The count of production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison. The count of possession of child pornography is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison, or a maximum of 20 years in prison if the court finds the defendant possessed child pornography of a child under the age of 12. He also faces up o $250,000 in fines on each count.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger and U.S. Attorney Young credited special agents of the FBI the Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; and the Egg Harbor Township Police Department with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Harteis of the District of New Jersey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland of the District of New Hampshire.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
23-302
Defense counsel: Jeff Levin Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, New Hampshire
Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA on Pexels.com
October 14, 2023
Story by: Michael Ratcliffe
EWING TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–For those who are superstitious, yesterday – Friday the 13th of October, 2023 – more than fulfilled expectations for unfortunate and unlucky happenings in Mercer County.
At the top of the list of unhappy events that occurred yesterday was a disastrous fire in Ewing that damaged both sides of a duplex, leaving 15 people homeless, and injured at least three people, including a firefighter.
A hazardous materials incident, multiple traffic accidents, more fires and other emergencies had firefighters, emergency medical personnel and police racing all other the county yesterday.
The chaos kicked off shortly about 9:10 a.m. when Hopewell Valley emergency personnel were sent to the Kooltronic Inc. facility at 30 Pennington-Hopewell Road for a hazardous materials incident reportedly involving a quantity of mercury that spilled out of a broken barometer. Trenton Fire Department’s HazMat task force was called to the scene to help contain and cleanup the spill.
At 9:31 a.m. Ewing Township fire companies were dispatched for a reported structure fire on Berwyn Avenue. A column of smoke was visible as firefighters responded. They arrived to find the second floor of one side of a duplex well-involved in fire, with flames spreading to the other side. Mutual aid was called to the scene to help battle the blaze. The fire was not declared under control until 10:28 a.m.
According to the American Red Cross and fire officials, a total of 15 people (many of these being children) were displaced from the two damaged homes – 317 and 319 Berwyn Avenue. Two residents reportedly suffered smoke inhalation and one firefighter reportedly suffered chest pains. All were cared for by Ewing and Lawrence ambulance crews and the firefighter was transported to hospital accompanied by Capital Health System paramedics. There were also reports that at least one other firefighter was evaluated on the scene by EMS.
Ewing fire units that fought the fire included Squad 30, Engine 31, Tower 31 and Engine 33. Mutual aid units on the scene included Engine 10-2 and Truck 10-1 from Hamilton, Rescue 20 and Tower 20 from Lawrence, Engine 50 from Hopewell Township, Engine 51 from Pennington Borough, and Rescue 60 from Princeton. Mercer County Fire Coordinators were on scene assisting command staff.
With so many Mercer County firefighting resources committed to Berwyn Avenue, firefighters from Burlington and Hunterdon counties were relocated into the area to provide coverage in case there was another fire reported.
After handling the HazMat incident in Hopewell, Trenton firefighters were enroute back to the city when they came upon a motor vehicle collision at Route 31 and Ingleside Avenue and stopped to render assistance.
Later in the day, Lawrence Township fire and EMS personnel were sent to the 2800 block of Brunswick Pike where a driver had lost control of her vehicle and crashed into the front wall of a strip mall.
Structure fires were also reported yesterday in the 1200 block of Nottingham Way in Hamilton, Overbrook Avenue in Trenton and Town Court North in Lawrence. Fortunately, these were all found to not be real fires and just “smoke scares” caused by cooking mishaps or steam from a clothes dryer vent being mistaken for smoke.
Around the time of the possible fire on Town Court, Lawrence police were also responding to an incident on Princeton Avenue where a woman had allegedly been threatened by a man who claimed he had a gun, although no weapon was actually seen, and Lawrence EMS personnel were responding to a reported cardiac arrest at an address on Trumbull Avenue.
Then Princeton firefighters were called up into Somerset County to help Montgomery Township fire companies handle a chimney fire on Dutchtown-Harlingen Road. And a short time later, Hopewell Valley fire companies were called out to deal with their own chimney fire at a home on Linden Lane.
EAST WINDSOR, NJ (MERCER)–Around 5:30 p.m. police, firefighters, and EMS were detailed to the intersection of Dutch Neck Road and Oak Creek Road for a two-vehicle crash with entrapment. When emergency responders arrived on scene it was determined that a victim was trapped in an overturned vehicle. The person was extricated in about 10 minutes and was transported to the trauma center for treatment. No further details are available at this time.
Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA on Pexels.com
