December 18, 2023
EAST WINDSOR, NJ (MERCER)–Firefighters were dispatched to Route 130 for a motor vehicle crash just after 5:00 p.m. It was unclear if there were any injuries and if anyone was transported to the hospital. East Windsor Police Department is investigating.
Photos by: Steven Kadir
December 18, 2023
CRANBURY, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Firefighters were dispatched to Old Trenton Road for a water rescue just before 4:00 p.m. with vehicles trapped in flood waters. Victims were removed and brought to safety. No other information is available.
Photos by: Steven Kadir
December 18, 2023
HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–On Sunday, December 17, 2023, at approximately 9:43 a.m., a house of worship in Hopewell Township, received and email stating that there were “multiple explosives” hidden throughout the building which would detonate within a few hours. The email was received by the spiritual leader while the building was occupied. The Hopewell Township Police Department was notified shortly thereafter and units were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, HTPD officers assisted the staff with evacuating the building occupants. With the help of the Pennington Police Department, Pennington Fire Department and Squad 154, all occupants were transported to an off-site reunification point and reunited with family members.
It was quickly determined that the email was distributed to multiple locations in NJ and throughout the country and there was no nexus to the house of worship. Out of an abundance of caution, HTPD requested assistance from other Mercer County agencies in the form of explosive detection K9 units. The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office provided a K9 unit who responded and cleared the building and the surrounding area.
Upon clearing the building, the investigation continued and it was determined that the email was sent from an unknown source who had distributed the email to numerous houses of worship in NJ. It does not appear, at this time that the threat was credible nor does it appear that there is any specific connection to the house of worship in Hopewell.
Officer Paul Alvaro #64 and Detective Michael Makwinski # 58 are continuing the investigating for Hopewell Township. Multiple federal, state and county agencies are involved in the investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Makwinski at 609-737-3100 ext. 5790.
December 18, 2023
WALL TOWNSHIP- On Saturday, December 16, 2023, the Wall Township Police were engaged in foot pursuit following an investigation into a suspicious person at an area motel.
At approximately 8:58 p.m. on Saturday, December 16th Patrolman Johan Moreno-Garcia and Sergeant Chris Mason were investigation a suspicious person incident at the Budget Inn Motel located on State Highway 35. While the above officers were speaking with the male subject identified as William Segars, 37-years-old of Neptune, he initiated a foot chase.
Segars was apprehended a short time later and he was found to have several active arrest warrants out of Tinton Falls, Eatontown, Neptune and Ocean Township. Once he was apprehended, he was also found to be in possession of a knife and heroin.
Segars was charged with resisting arrest, obstructing the administration of law, possession of heroin and unlawful possession of a weapon. He was later transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all the trial rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and New Jersey State Law.
December 18, 2023
FREEHOLD – A Tinton Falls woman has been criminally charged with organizing an online fundraiser for a Florida man severely injured in a car accident late last year and then stealing the more than $15,000 she raised, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Monday.
Nicole C. Weidelman, 46, is charged with third-degree Theft by Deception.
An investigation led by Tinton Falls Police Department Detective William Rodriguez revealed that in November 2022, the intended fundraiser recipient was involved in a serious motor vehicle collision on I-95 in Florida. The recovery from the incident proved lengthy and costly, reportedly involving more than a dozen surgeries, a month and a half in the hospital, and the loss of an arm, necessitating a prosthetic.
The investigation revealed that Weidelman contacted the man’s mother, a longtime family friend, and offered to set up an online fundraiser to assist with the expenses incurred from the medical bills. But after raising slightly more than $15,000, Weidelman transferred the entirety of the raised sum into her own personal account via more than two dozen transactions, then provided numerous false explanations to the victims over the course of the next several months, before the theft was reported to authorities.
Weidelman was arrested and charged last week.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Lawrence Nelsen, Director of the MCPO Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Bureau. Information about Weidelman’s legal representation was not immediately available.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA on Pexels.com
December 18, 2023
TOMS RIVER, NJ (OCEAN)–On Sunday morning, at approximately 12:45 a.m., multiple police units were dispatched to the Days Hotel on Route 37 for a large fight in progress in the parking lot area. While responding, officers received further information regarding possible gunshots. Further investigation revealed evidence that shots were fired but no victims were struck. The Ocean County Sheriff’ Department CSI unit responded to assist in processing the scene. One male suffered a seizure during the incident and was transported to Community Medical Center by Silverton First Aid. The investigation is ongoing at this time.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Toms River Police Department Detective Bureau at [email protected] or by calling 732-349-0150 x 1323. All information will remain confidential.
We’d like to thank our neighboring police departments in Manchester, Island Heights, Berkeley, South Toms River, Jackson, Brick, Seaside Heights, and Lavallette for providing assistance at the scene, as well as handling a variety of calls throughout the town during the investigation.