TRENTON-Ahmad Kahn Rahami is now being connected officially by authorities as suspect in all 3 New York and New Jersey bomb incidents. Authorities today said all of the devices used similar components and those individuals arrested in Brooklyn were also tied to Elizabeth and Rahami, saying they could be part of a New Jersey based sleeper terrorist cell.

Multiple agencies are continuing the investigations today.

New Jersey State Police said, “The FBI is asking for assistance in locating Ahmad Khan Rahami, who is wanted for questioning in connection with an explosion that occurred on September 17, 2016, at approximately 10:14 a.m. in the vicinity of Ocean Ave., Seaside Park, NJ and on September 17, 2016, at approximately 8:30 p.m. in the vicinity of 135 West 23rd Street , New York, NY.”

STAFFORD- On Wednesday February 24, 2016 at approximately 4:50 PM Stafford Police received a report of a hit and run involving a red mustang in the area of Route 9 North and Oxycocus Road. Prior to police arrival, additional reports were received that a red mustang was involved in an accident at the intersection of Route 9 and Hilliard Boulevard and fled the scene. As the vehicle fled the second accident, it struck another vehicle at the same intersection. The accidents heavily damaged the vehicle and it lost a tire and fled the scene driving on the tire rim.

Police located the vehicle a short distance away at a residence on Willow Court. The engine of the vehicle was smoking heavily. Further investigation determined that Veronica Belluscio, 41 YOA, of Willow Court, Manahawkin, NJ was the operator of the 2000 Ford Mustang involved in the accidents. She was placed under arrest for Driving While Intoxicated.

As a result of this incident, a total of 5 vehicles other than Belluscio’s vehicle were damaged with three occupants being transported to SOMC for minor injuries.

Accident at Route 9 and Oxycocus: Three Car Accident

Belluscio struck: 2016 Lexus Rx3 (Operated by Wendy A. Tomasello of Manahawkin, NJ 49 YOA)

Pushed into a 2005 Honda CRV (Operated by Diana M. Dabrowski, 62 YOA of West Creek, NJ)

Accident at Route 9 and Hilliard Blvd: Three Car Accident

Belluscio struck: 2012 Chevy Equinox( Operated by Lindsay Hoosack of 32 YOA of Barnegat/ Two Child Occupants: 3 YOA female and 9 Months old female Driver was transported for neck pain and two children were transported to get checked out

Pushed into a 2011 Lincoln Mkz (Operated by Amy Fence, 43 YOA of Manahawkin)

Accident at Route 9 and Hilliard Blvd: Two Car Accident

Belluscio struck: 2005 GMC Savannah (Operated by Richard Coffman, 69 YOA Of Manahawkin, NJ)

Belluscio was charged with one count of Resisting Arrest, driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, careless driving, 3 count of leaving the scene of an accident, 3 counts of failure to report an accident, 2 counts of improper passing. She was processed and released pending a future court appearance.

Patrolman Erik Smithman was the arresting officer. Stafford EMS and Stafford Township Volunteer Fire Company assisted in the matter.

TOMS RIVER-Shortly before 4:30 Am on Saturday February 27, a male entered a residence on Wyoming Drive while the family, including children, were sleeping. The suspect removed two purses and left the house. Surveillance cameras captured the male entering and leaving according to police here.

“We are seeking to identify a white male, possibly in his early to mid-twenties wearing a zip up Champion hooded sweatshirt, jeans and what appear to be two toned Addias flip flops (possibly black and white),” police spokesperson Ralph Stocco said in a statement.  “Anyone with information should contact Detective James Carey at 732-349-0150 extension 1292 or Detective Thomas DiMichele at extension 1333.”

Stocco was confident that the public would once again assist as they have done on numerous occasions since the Police Department took to Facebook to find wanted criminals.

“Smile you sneaky fool, your on camera,” Stocco wrote.  “Please turn yourself in before 20 of your friends rat you out and we have to waste the taxpayers money on gas to come get you.”

On Saturday, February 27, 2016 at approximately 9:25 am, officers from the Manchester Township Police responded to the Super Stop & Shop supermarket located at 400 Lacey Road in the Whiting section of the Township for the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, officers met with a female victim who told them that she had just gotten into her vehicle to leave the parking lot after food shopping when an unknown white male opened her driver’s side door and demanded that she give him all of her money. The victim stated that while the suspect was standing inside her door, he opened his jacket and revealed what she believed to be a dark colored handgun. The victim stated that she gave the male all the cash that she had on her at which point he fled the scene on foot towards the nearby Wendy’s restaurant and County Route 539. The suspect was described as a white male, believed to be in his late 20’s or 30’s, approximately 5’10” to 6’ tall. He was said to be wearing a dark colored jacket with a beige hooded sweatshirt underneath and light gray sweat pants. Furthermore, he was reported to have had a blue or black bandana covering his face. 

Assisting in the case where members of the Manchester Township Police Patrol and Investigations Bureaus as well as K-9 handler Marc Micciulla and his partner Storm. Also assisting with the investigations were detectives from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) Unit. The case in currently being investigated by Det. Robert Maccaquano of the Investigations Bureau with the assistance of Patrolman Thomas O’Hare.
Anyone having any information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Manchester Township Police Dispatch immediately at 732-657-6111 or Detective Robert Maccaquano at 732-657-2009, ext. 4202. Anonymous tips can be submitted online at www.manchesterpolicenj.com. Tips may also be submitted through private Facebook message. Any help from the public is greatly appreciated.

Two firefighters were injured, one seriously while battling a fire at a vacant home on Channel Lane in Mantoloking yesterday.

Mantoloking Police & Fire departments were dispatched to the residents after receiving a report of heavy black smoke and flames at approximately 6:15 pm.

Upon arrival the structure was fully engulfed in flames.  Responding police officers quickly determined that there was no one in the home. Fire companies from Point Pleasant Beach, Point Pleasant Borough, Bay Head, Brick, Mantoloking and South Wall all responded to battle the blaze

Two injuries were reported by the Mantoloking Fire Department including Mantoloking Fire Chief Larry Gilman and a Bay Head firefighter.  Both were transported to Brick Hospital.

The Bay Head firefighter was treated and released. The Mantoloking Fire Chief Is being held In ICU for additional treatment, and is stable at this time.

The Ocean County Fire Marshall will be handling the investigation.

“We ask that every stay clear of the area so that the investigators can do their job,” the department said in a release.

Photo originally published by NJ Fire Incidents @wt2fd.

 

LAKEWOOD-On February 26, 2016 at approximately 3 am, Officer Kristie Buble was traveling east on Route 88 when she observed what she perceived was one male chasing another. While turning her patrol car around, she observed the second male identified as 25 year old Jose Trejos Zamora of Lakewood, reach into his waistband and pull out a large butcher style knife and throw it to the ground as he continued to pursue the first male.

Officer Buble was able to position her car between the two men, exit it and then drew her weapon while ordering Zamora to stop. Additional responding Officers assisted in securing him.

The victim, a 23 year old Toms River man, informed the Officers that Zamora attempted to rob him at knifepoint. He then fled on foot until discovered by PO Buble.

Further investigation by Det. Peter Aakjer and Officer Charles Messer resulted in Zamora being charged with Robbery and Weapon Violations. Bail was set at $250,000 no 10%. He was later transported to Ocean County Jail.

Report by Lakewood Police Department.

LACEY-On Friday, February 19, 2016, at 5:37 p.m., Officer Dimitrios Tsarnas responded to Walmart, 580 Route 9 North in Lanoka Harbor, in reference to a report of shoplifting. The loss prevention employee reported that he observed a male subject attempting to exit the store with a shopping cart full of merchandise for which payment had not been made. Upon being confronted, the suspect reportedly left the shopping cart of merchandise and fled the area on foot. The shoplifted merchandise consisted of $488.06 of Lego’s and a $4.47 quart of oil. Upon further investigation, the shoplifter was identified as 31-year-old Douglas M. Gifford Jr. of Flint Road in Toms River, NJ. A $1,500 warrant was issued for his arrest.

A four month investigation into the multiple residential burglaries within the Green Briar Woodlands Retirement Community resulted in the arrests of James Donegan, age 37, and Amiko Donegan, age 35, of Ebb Tide Drive in Brick. The couple was charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of theft and two counts of criminal mischief. Bail was set at $150,000 each by the Toms River Municipal Court and both are currently incarcerated in the Ocean County Jail.

ASBURY PARK-The Asbury Park Police Department arrested Margaret M. Vannell, 34, of Liverpool Court on aggravated assault charges during a January 11th incident where Vannell assaulted another individual.   Monmouth County Prosecutors announced Vannell’s indictment on Tuesday.

The Prosecutor’s Office said Vannell attempted to cause serious bodily injury to a pregnant woman during the course of a robbery, pulling her pregnant victim to the ground and struggling with her over a pocketbook.   The assault, police said, contributed to the victim’s miscarriage of her baby.

It was not the first run Vannell had with police.

On January 8th,  Ocean Township (Monmouth) police officers responded to the Target of Ocean for a report of a shoplifting in progress. Once on scene they learned that the suspect fled the area in a taxi.

A subsequent investigation by detectives led them to the Asbury Park train station where they located the suspect, Margaret Vannell.

Once she was positively identified she was placed under arrest and taken to the Township of Ocean Police Headquarters for processing. Once back at the station Detectives Michael Legg and Bryan Morgan continued their investigation. It was at this time they identified Vannell as the accused in 5 other shopliftings in Ocean Township. Vannell was charged with 6 shoplifting and 1 count of possession of drug paraphernalia. She was released on a complaint summons and is scheduled to appear at a future court hearing

Driver distracted by cell phone hits teen on sidewalk, cops say

BRICK — A teenager was hospitalized Tuesday after she was hit by a car while walking on the sidewalk, police said. The pedestrian, a 16-year-old girl, was walking near the intersection of Sally Ike and Lanes Mill roads at 12:43 p.m. when a vehicle drove up onto the curb and struck her, Brick police Sgt. Neal…

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MANCHESTER — A man killed by police allegedly held his girlfriend at knifepoint, pulled a knife on officers and couldn’t be subdued by non-lethal rounds before Ocean County SWAT officers shot him at a mobile home park early Saturday, the state Attorney General’s Office said. Authorities identified the dead man as Michael Laniado, 27, of Manchester.…

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TOMS RIVER-The former Toms River Township Park and Ride manager has been sentenced to four years in prison today.

In June of 2013,  Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato and Parking Authority of Toms River Executive Director Pamela Piner  announced the arrest of Robert Pentz, 38, of Toms River for the theft of ATM monies from the Bus and Commuter facility located at 400 Highland Parkway South in Toms River.

“It is alleged, that between 2009 and April of this year, Pentz who served as the Park and Ride Manager at the commuter facility over the last five years took $75,000 or more in cash from the sites ATM machine,” Coronato said. “One of Pentz’s duties as Park and Ride Manager was to assure the onsite ATM machine had readily available cash for patrons. The investigation is continuing with the help of Toms River Parking Authority officials to determine a more exact figure. The thefts were uncovered as a result of a routine audit in early April.”

 

 

TRENTON — A state appeals court on Wednesday upheld the conviction of a man who shot and killed a Lakewood police officer in 2011. The three-judge panel rejected Jahmell Crockam’s argument that the jury was tainted by hearsay testimony claiming he was willing to kill a cop, a cell phone photo of the defendant and the…

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TOMS RIVER — An elderly couple was hospitalized Tuesday morning after the vehicle they were in was t-boned at an intersection. Phyllis Scardena, 76, of Toms River, was driving in a 2004 Oldsmobile with her 87-year-old husband, whom police did not identify, at 11:30 a.m. when she ran a red light at the intersection of Vermont…

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TOMS RIVER – A 27-year-old township woman was charged with multiple offenses related to the distribution of heroin on Tuesday. On Feb. 2, members of the Toms River Police Department’s special enforcement unit executed a court ordered search warrant in the Winteringham Village complex located at 1040 Route 166 in Toms River. The search was the…

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TOMS RIVER-On January 20th members of the Toms River Police Department’s Special Enforcement Team concluded a month long investigation regarding heroin distribution throughout the Township. As a result of this investigation a motor vehicle stop was conducted on a rental vehicle on Route 37 near Brookside Drive.

The driver of the vehicle, Luis Quintana age 37 of the Holiday City section of Berkeley Township, was found to be in possession of over 43 bricks of heroin (2,155 wax folds), approximately 36 grams of cocaine, a digital scale, and $1,665.00 in U.S. currency.

The passenger of the vehicle, Kevin Reilly age 40 also of Berkeley Township, was found to be in possession of 21 wax folds of heroin. Additionally, Reilly had a no bail warrant for his arrest out of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department.

TOMS RIVER – Anthony “Tony” Verdicchio was a 76-year-old creature of habit, who was an avid collector of everything from baseball cards to Disney figurines and who loved flea markets. On the morning of May 12, 2013, Verdicchio stopped on his way out of Mass at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church to wish a long-time friend, Mary…

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TOMS RIVER – Anthony “Tony” Verdicchio was a 76-year-old creature of habit, who was an avid collector of everything from baseball cards to Disney figurines and who loved flea markets. On the morning of May 12, 2013, Verdicchio stopped on his way out of Mass at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church to wish a long-time friend, Mary…

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