Monmouth County News

Brookdale Professor’s Rant Against Conservative Student Goes Viral

A New Jersey community college is investigating why a professor shouted the F-word at a student in an incident that was caught on camera. The student identifies as politically conservative, and the incident has sparked complaints about the college as a liberal atmosphere where alternative political viewpoints are not tolerated. During a Sociology 105, Intercultural Communication…

These are the 76 teachers who lost their N.J. licenses last year

One was accused of bending back the fingers and rapping the knuckles of uncooperative students. Another allegedly helped kids cheat on state tests. A third robbed a bank. Last year, New Jersey yanked the teaching licenses of 76 teachers and school officials for a wide variety of misconduct, sexual abuse, crimes and other allegations inside and…

Jersey Shore councilman charged with drug paraphernalia: It wasn’t Mine

A municipal official in a New Jersey shore town who said he would resign after police found a hypodermic needle in his vehicle has changed his mind. Spring Lake Heights Councilman Robert Merriken is charged with possessing drug paraphernalia. But he’s maintaining his innocence, telling APP.com that the charge was “ridiculous” and that the needle did…

Off-duty cop admits he lied, was drunk when he killed woman crossing the street

An off-duty Long Branch police officer admitted Tuesday that he was driving drunk when he fatally struck a woman as she crossed the street in September. Detective Jake Pascucci acknowledged that he had at least a blood-alcohol level of .08, the state’s legal limit for drivers, when he hit Karen Borkowski, 66, as she crossed Ocean…

ICYMI: Terror Charges for Threat to Shoot Up Anti-gun Rally

A man has been charged with making terroristic threats after allegedly warning he was going to “shoot up” a march calling for stricter gun laws due to be held in Washington. Shane Steele, 42, of Lakewood, New Jersey, was arrested on suspicion of threatening to open fire using a machine gun at the “March For Our…

Monmouth University student dies, another injured in car crash

A 20-year-old Moorestown man died Saturday after a car veered off the road in Monmouth County and crashed into a tree in the early morning, authorities said. The accident occurred around 2:39 a.m. when Jose R. Rivera, 21, of Lyndhurst, drove his 2006 Audi AA8 off the road in Ocean Township near the 200 block South…

Judge reviews Snapchat, video evidence in Sarah Stern killing case

The man accused of strangling his childhood friend, Sarah Stern, and dumping her body off a Jersey Shore bridge in December 2016 used Snapchat to discuss the ongoing investigation with a friend who later went to authorities, prosecutors revealed in court Tuesday. Liam McAtasney sent a Snapchat message to the unnamed friend, who helped authorities record…

Teenager shot parents, sister, family friend ‘at close range,’ prosecutor says

The Long Branch teenager who allegedly killed his parents, sister and a family friend on New Year’s Eve opened fire “at close range” using a semi-automatic rifle containing 15 bullets, prosecutors said Tuesday. Law enforcement officials also revealed a third person – a woman in her 20s – fled the house when the shots began along…

Teen killed parents, sister, family friend with assault rifle, cops say

A 16-year-old armed with a semi-automatic rifle shot and killed his parents, his sister and a family friend who lived with them in Long Branch on New Year’s Eve, authorities said Monday. The teen, whose name was not released because he is a juvenile, will be charged as an adult with four counts of murder and…

New Jersey Police ‘Charge’ A Squirrel With Criminal Mischief

The hunt launched by police in Sea Girt, New Jersey, for a vandal who damaged a popular Christmas lights display ended Saturday morning with the arrest of a squirrel. The police uploaded a picture of the perpetrator along with a statement on its Twitter page which said officials had caught the squirrel who was responsible for…

Garden State Parkway lane closed indefinitely for emergency bridge repairs

MONMOUTH COUNTY — One northbound local lane on the Garden State Parkway will be closed “indefinitely” for emergency bridge repairs, officials said. The closure north of exit 109 is necessary because the span carrying the Parkway over Middletown-Lincroft Road was damaged Thursday when it was struck by a back hoe being hauled on the bed of…

‘I just want justice,’ says husband of woman fatally struck by off-duty cop

LONG BRANCH – When Karen Borkowski was fatally struck by a car driven by an off-duty Long Branch officer last month, she was attempting to cross the street to purchase bandages at a CVS to care for her husband. That errand embodied the kind, caring person she was, according to her husband Ed Borkowski “My wife…

42 pimps, prostitutes in N.J. arrested in FBI child sex trafficking bust

NEWARK — Dozens of pimps and prostitutes were arrested in New Jersey as part of annual international sweep led by the FBI to crackdown on human trafficking, officials said. In what authorities dubbed “Operation Cross Country XI,” 42 people were arrested in the state on warrants and charges of sex trafficking, child exploitation and prostitution. It…

Off-duty cop told police the woman he struck was jaywalking before fatal crash (VIDEO)

LONG BRANCH – An off-duty Long Branch police officer who fatally struck a woman on Ocean Boulevard last month told officers at the scene he had a green light and that she was jaywalking, newly obtained dashboard camera video shows. Jake Pascucci, 28, was driving a 2016 Jeep Cherokee southbound on Ocean Boulevard when the vehicle…

Man admits to ATM theft spree along Jersey Shore

MONMOUTH COUNTY — A New Jersey man faces up to four years in prison after admitting stealing three ATMs, including one at Boardwalk Hall in Asbury Park, in a 10-day span last year, according to a report. Darren Covington, 52, of Neptune, pleaded guilty to six counts of burglary and two counts of attempted burglary, APP.com…

120 guns turned in during buyback in Asbury Park

ASBURY PARK — Authorities took in 120 guns Saturday and handed out $7,025 in the latest Guns for Cash program held in Monmouth County. The event allows people to hand in weapons in exchange for money without having to answer questions about how the gun was obtained, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement…

Driver killed in crash off Route 18 in Marlboro

MARLBORO – The driver of an SUV was killed Monday night when the vehicle veered off Route 18, crashed into trees and overturned, police said. Officers who arrived at the scene around 8:32 p.m. discovered the Nissan Xterra on the southbound side of Route 18 just north of the Route 79 overpass, Marlboro police Capt. Frederick…

Police ID man who died after being pulled from surf off Long Branch

LONG BRANCH – The man who died after he was pulled from the ocean off Seven Presidents Park on Sept. 23 has been identified as a 34-year-old Piscataway man. Weining Liu was on the beach, which is a county park, with his family when he went swimming and became distressed from the currents, Long Branch police…