December 18, 2022
LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER) – A fire that fully-engulfed a box truck forced police to shut down the southbound lanes of the Trenton Freeway (Route 1), between the split with Business Route 1 and Whitehead Road, for an extended period Saturday evening, Dec. 17.
It was shortly before 7:20 p.m. when township police and Mercer County Central Communications became inundated with multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting that a vehicle had crashed and was on fire. Police and township firefighters arrived to find the blazing Ford box truck sitting on its side along the guardrail that separates the highway from the rear yards of homes on Glenview Drive.
Residents of Glenview Drive gathered in their yards and watched through the trees as flames shot into the night sky and several small explosions from the vehicle’s bursting tires echoed through the neighborhood. Township firefighters extinguished the blaze. The driver and a passenger from the truck reportedly escaped from the wreckage without injury.
The cause of the accident was under investigation by Lawrence Township police.
December 18, 2022
HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri and Hopewell Township Police Chief James Rosso reported that a 20-year-old Manalapan man was fatally shot in Hopewell Township Saturday evening.
At approximately 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 17, 2022, Hopewell police responded to the Hopewell Valley Nature Preserve off of Harbourton-Woodsville Road. Upon arrival, officers located a white Mercedes C300 on a trail with a male slumped over in the driver’s seat. The victim was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound a short time later. The victim has been identified as Phillip Urban of Manalapan.
The shooting is under investigation by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the Hopewell Township Police Department. Preliminary investigation indicates Urban arranged to meet an acquaintance at the preserve and was shot at some point during the encounter. No arrests have been made. Anyone with information is asked to contact the MCHTF at (609) 989-6406 or the HTPD at (609) 737-3100 ext. 5740. Information can also be emailed to [email protected].
Phillip Urban of Manalapan is listed on the Post University Athletics, 2022-2023 Men’s Basketball Roster in Waterbury, Connecticut. He graduated from the Pennington School this past June.
This past weekend we lost one of our own to a tragedy. Phil, you will be missed by the entire Post community and especially your teammates and coaches. My condolences to the Urban family. Please join me in praying for his family! Gone too soon.
— Marc Kuntz (@CoachK_PostU) December 20, 2022
Post University Men’s Basketball | 12/19/2022 11:19:00 AM
It is with great sadness that Post University announces the passing of student and men’s basketball player, Phil Urban.
Urban passed away tragically in a shooting near his home in New Jersey on Saturday evening.
“Phil was well liked by everyone in the Post community. His quiet sense of humor was infectious and he was a valuable part of our basketball program,” Head men’s basketball coach Marc Kuntz said.
The Post University community expresses its deepest condolences and sympathy to Phil’s family, friends, teammates and all of those who loved him.
Phillip Urban from the Post University Athletics social media accounts.
Photos from Post University Athletics
Google Street View Image of the area
This kid has dealt with a lot of adversity in the last year and if I told you how he handled it, you’d be proud too! Super excited for Philly man— stayed humble, trusted the process and accomplished a goal! #earnedit https://t.co/EIBZx7Tg37
— Coach Zach Liu (@TheRealZachLiu) March 25, 2022
pic.twitter.com/yeUjpGE3U6
— Phil Urban (@philurban0) October 26, 2021
