Driver told police he believed he hilt a deer, authorities said

SOUTH TOMS RIVER -- An elderly motorist who said he did not realize he struck and critically injured a bicyclist early Friday turned himself in to police a few hours later, authorities said.

 

Police responded to the entrance of the northbound Garden State Parkway at Dover Road shortly before 4 a.m. on a report of a pedestrian struck. The 48-year-old victim, a local resident, was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center wirth head, pelvis and ankle injuries. She was in surgery Friday and was listed in critical but stable condition.

MORE: Bicyclist in critical condition after Lacey crash 

Local and Toms River police, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the sheriff's department, conducted an investigation, using serial numbers from parts found on the roadway to determine that the vehicle involved appeared to be a Ford Aerostar with a model year between 1992 and 1997.

Shortly before 8 a.m., a local resident, Antonio S. Rodrigues, 85, showed up at police headquarters after learning of the accident. Rodrigues told police he had been driving to the Rt. 70 Flea Market in Lakewood when he heard a "boom," authorities said. Thinking it was a deer, Rodrigues continued on to the flea market and was setting up his stall when he learned someone had been struck. He packed up his stall, drove home and walked to the police department.

Rodrigues, who consented to a blood test, was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs and his license and registration are valid, authorities said. His 1995 Ford Aerostar was towed to the sheriff's department garage and will be searched pending the issuance of a warrant.  

Rodrigues has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook

 

Police officer lied to conceal warrant-less search

TOMS RIVER -- A former Lakewood police officer who forged a document to conceal an illegal search has lost his job but avoided prison time, app.com reported.

Jeremy Felder, 29, of Old Bridge, is barred from serving in New Jersey law enforcement and was sentenced to one year of probation Friday. 

RELATED: N.J. Supreme Court relaxes rules on police searches of vehicles 

Felder, a former Jackson police officer who had joined the Lakewood force in 2011, stopped a car on Aug. 31, 2013 and carried out a search without a warrant, Felder previously admitted in court. After Felder and his partner found heroin and a needle, Felder filled out a search consent form for the car's occupants to sign but listed a time 16 minutes earlier than when the search was actually carried out to make it appear as though permission were granted beforehand.

As a condition of Felder's plea, prosecutors agreed to close other outstanding investigations involving him. Authorities declined to discuss those other investigations.

Ed Murray/NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

Felder's sentencing comes just a day after the state Supreme Court gave police broader latitude to search vehicles without a warrant if there is probable cause.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook

Bills pending in Trenton to stop foreclosures

Debra and Steve Corrado's home in the Silverton section of Toms River, is stranded high its foundation, unlivable.

They're waiting for their third state-assigned contractor from the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation program to finish it. Just four days ago - one month shy of the three-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy destroying their home - they signed an amended RREM grant to get the job done.

They're in their third rental.

It gets worse. They're in foreclosure.

"After all the money we spent trying to get back in our house, now we have to hire a lawyer to try to keep it," Debra Corrado said.  

The abridged version of their story goes like this:

Their house was wrecked by the hurricane and they accepted what they say was low-ball settlement from their insurance company.

"We didn't want to waste time fighting," she said. "We wanted to get back home."

They followed Gov. Chris Christie's advice to "rebuild now," and renovated by using their saving and emptying their 401Ks.

But when the new (final) FEMA flood maps came out, they had to elevate the house, so they entered the RREM program in June 2014. The 90-day job is now on day 400-something, as they continued paying mortgage ($2,800 a month) and rent ($1,500).

"Part of the house was on a slab, and they actually cut it in half with a saw," Corrado said.

They couple got behind on the mortgage and the bank began foreclosing. The nightmare continues. Nearly three years and counting.

This is not an isolated case.

"One-third of the people impacted by the storm have not had their problems remediated," said state Assemblyman Gary Schaer, a Democrat whose districtincludes Moonachie and Little Ferry, two towns hit hard by Sandy. "Not 5 percent ... not 10 percent ... 33 percent. It is unconscionable that three years after the storm, we still have thousands of people out of their homes."

And many of those people, like the Corrados, now face foreclosure.

Schaer and fellow Democrat Sen. Jeff Van Drew, who represents Atlantic Cape and Cumberland Counties, have introduced bills in their respective houses to get the banks to back off.

Assembly bill A4139 and Senate bill S2577 have passed committee and Schaer said he hopes each will be voted on by the end of the year.

The identical bills ask that banks halt foreclosure on homes in the state RREM program and the LMI (low- and moderate-income) rebuilding program until 60 days after they are reoccupied.

The fact that the legislators come from opposite ends of state illustrates the swath of Sandy's destruction and its continued misery.

"This storm did not discriminate geographically," Schaer said.

"But many of the people - not all, but many - who remain out of their homes were the most economically vulnerable," Schaer said. "They are single mothers, the elderly, and families struggling to make ends meet before the storm. No one seemed to be speaking for them. These are people who have yet to receive the relief that was promised them."

The bills seek to freeze all foreclosure proceedings on properties wrecked by Sandy, as long has the property wasn't in foreclosure prior to storm. The mortgages would resume within 60 days of the owners returning home. 

The bills also would protect homeowners from foreclosure in future disasters, an important feature for people who live in flood areas along the Raritan and Passaic River basins, as well as the coast.

"This is not a handout," Schaer said. "We wanted to craft a bill to answer the short-term needs for people who are behind on their mortgages through no fault of their own.

"We want to give people 36 months - that seems to be the time it takes - to recover from a disaster without the threat of foreclosure."

Almost all the people in this situation are there because of the hallmark factors of this slow recovery. Insurance fraud. Contractor malfeasance. Bureaucratic entanglement.

"The state blames the feds, the feds blame the state," Schaer said. "Let's stop playing the blame game and come up with solutions."

That's a welcomed message for Nancy Wirtz, whose small house in the Forked River Beach section of Lacey Township was flooded and severely damaged when two trees fell on it during Sandy.

A contractor charged her $55,000 to demolish the house and then disappeared. Wirtz now has no house, no money and the bank bearing down on her.

"I'm lost," she told the Assembly's Housing and Community Development Committee during a hearing on the bill in June. "I don't know what to do."

Amada Devecka-Rinear, who formed a group to lobby for Sandy victims, said the bills is "welcomed" and "good" but doesn't go far enough.

"I think this bill was chipped away at by the banking lobby," said Devecka-Rinear, executive director of the New Jersey Organizing Project. "It originally included all Sandy victims. Now, it's just those in RREM and LMI (who must be primary homeowners to qualify for those programs).

"But what about second homeowners and people who own rental properties?" she said. "They've had to deal with some of the same issues, like low insurance payouts or bad contractors.

"I think the bill is good and needed," she said. "But we're going to push back and see if we can get it expanded. These people have suffered enough. The banks should give them a break."

A 78-year-old woman died in a fire in Leisure Village early Saturday morning, authorities said.

A 78-year-old woman died in a fire in Leisure Village in Manchester early Saturday morning, authorities said. (File photo)South Jersey Times 

MANCHESTER -- A 78-year-old woman died in a fire at the Leisure Village senior living community early Saturday morning, authorities said.

Rita Hernandez, the sole occupant of the Cambridge Circle condominium, succumbed to injuries sustained in a fire, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Two pet birds and a cat also died in the fire, which was first reported at 6:38 a.m. by a neighbor who smelled smoke, he said.

Hernandez was found unresponsive near her front sliding doors after police officers forced entry into the residence, Della Fave said.

An investigation of the scene determined that the fire began along the east wall in the kitchen and that it appears to have been accidental in nature, Della Fave said. Investigators have not been able to rule out an electrical cause to the blaze, he said.

Hernandez was later taken to the Oliveri Funeral Home pending a post mortem examination, Della Fave said.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

MANCHESTER — A 70-year-old driver crossed over the centerline into oncoming traffic and crashed into a Toyota Tocoma Friday evening, police said.   The collision left a 2005 Nissan Sentra in the woods and the drivers of both vehicles hospitalized, Capt. Todd Malland of the Manchester Township Police Department said in a news release. At around 3:30 p.m., police responded to Route...

A 2005 Nissan Sentra crashed into several trees on Friday. (Photo provided by the Manchester Township Police Department).

MANCHESTER -- A 70-year-old driver crossed over the centerline into oncoming traffic and crashed into a Toyota Tocoma Friday evening, police said.  

The collision left a 2005 Nissan Sentra in the woods and the drivers of both vehicles hospitalized, Capt. Todd Malland of the Manchester Township Police Department said in a news release.

At around 3:30 p.m., police responded to Route 70 in the area of mile marker 39 for a report of a motor-vehicle accident involving two vehicles, Malland said.

Officers determined that Lorraine Theodore, 70, of Whiting, was driving her 2005 Nissan Sentra westbound on Route 70 when it crossed over the centerline into oncoming traffic and hit a 2015 Toyota Tacoma, Malland said.

The impact caused Theodore's Sentra to leave the roadway and crash into several small trees, Malland said. She was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

The driver of the Tacoma, Brian Sullivan, 29, of Manahawkin, was taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River for neck and back pain.

Malland did not specify what condition either driver was in. 

Members of the Whiting Volunteer Fire Department also responded to the crash, which is under investigation by Officer Michael Anderson of the Manchester Township Police Traffic Safety Unit.   

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Police responded to the store shortly before 11 p.m. for a report of a male threatening suicide with a gun, said Officer Ralph Stocco, a spokesman for the Toms River Police Department.

Officers responded to the Wawa shortly before 11 p.m. for a report of a male threatening suicide with a gun, police said. (File photo).

TOMS RIVER -- A man shot himself Saturday night at the Wawa on Route 37, police said.

Police responded to the store shortly before 11 p.m. for a report of a male threatening suicide with a gun, said Officer Ralph Stocco, a Toms River Police Department spokesman. 

The man shot himself while police were at the store, Stocco said.

The man was taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River for treatment, and then later transferred to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

"There will be no further information released from this agency," Stocco said.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office is handling the investigation. 

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Brad Reiter, 50, of Jackson, is charged with grand larceny for allegedly stealing the money over a seven-year period

Brad ReiterNassau County District Attorney

An Ocean County man has been arrested after allegedly stealing $1.6 million from a Long Island town's emergency medical services.

Brad Reiter, 50, of Jackson, surrendered to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office this morning and will be arraigned later Tuesday, spokesman Brendan Brosh said by phone.

Reiter served as the treasurer and president of the Bellmore-Merrick EMS at various times over the past several years, according to a news release.

He is charged with one count of first-degree grand larceny and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Reiter is alleged to have stolen the money between March 2008 and March of this year. He paid for credit card bills, insurance, lawn services and security system services, authorities said. He also allegedly wrote checks to himself.

The scheme was uncovered when the EMS' new leadership discovered the amount deposited into its bank accounts after receiving payments from insurance companies was far less than it should have been, authorities said.

Reiter is originally from Long Island and maintained membership with the squad after moving, according to Andy Kraus, a spokesman for the organization.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JGoldmanNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Walter Uszenski, 63, who served as Brick schools superintendent until May 8, was charged with official misconduct and theft by deception.

Walter Uszenski                                                                       (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office) 

TOMS RIVER -- A grand jury on Tuesday indicted a former Brick schools superintendent, his daughter and two former school officials on charges they arranged for unnecessary special services for his grandson that cost the district more than $50,000.

Walter Uszenski, 63, who served as Brick schools superintendent until May 8, was charged with official misconduct and theft by deception for his alleged role in a scheme to put people in school positions who would eventually approve fulltime daycare and transportation services for his preschool grandchild to which the boy was not entitled, said Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato.

Also indicted on charges of theft by deception and official misconduct were Andrew Morgan, 68, of Edison, former interim director of public services for the Brick school district; Lorraine Morgan, 58, of Edison, the former academic officer for the district; and Uszenski's daughter, Jacqueline Halsey, 37, of Brick.

The grand jury also indicted Andrew Morgan on charges of false swearing and theft by deception because he failed to reveal a criminal conviction for criminal sale of a controlled dangerous substance in New York City in 1990, Coronato said. He said Andrew Morgan falsely certified in his job application for the interim director position that he had never been arrested, charged or convicted of a criminal offense.

In March 2013, Uszenski recommended that the board of education hire AndrewMorgan to conduct an audit of the district's special services section, Coronato has said, alleging that the "audit" was actually a ruse to put Morgan in a position where he could develop a policy to help Halsey.

Based on that audit, Uszenski urged the board of education to replace the previous special services director with Morgan, with who Uszenski had worked in other school districts, Coronato said. Morgan was hired July 1, 2013, as interim director and the former director was demoted, he said.

One of Morgan's first official acts on the job, Coronato said, was to have special needs students attend school in the district. However, Halsey's child was allowed to go to a private daycare -- which was not approved by the district -- and be transported to the facility, at the expense of the school district. In all, those services amounted to more than $50,000, Coronato said.

Until that time, special needs students were sent to programs outside the Brick school district and paying a private tuition rate, Coronato said.

Halsey, who is a teacher in another district, falsely certified that the special needs program and services were educationally appropriate and necessary, the prosecutor said.

He said Uszenski fabricated the need for the special services audit - for which Andrew Morgan received $17,499 - in order to position Morgan for the interim director position.

Lorraine Morgan, who is married to Andrew Morgan, is accused of approving unnecessary counseling services for Halsey's son.

The day after his May 7 arrest, Uszenski, hired in 2012 at an annual salary of $175,000, was suspended with pay pending indictment.  The Brick board of education appointed an acting superintendent.

Andrew Morgan, who wass also arrested May 7, was already off the job, having resigned Dec. 31, 2013. after receiving more than $60,000 in compensation for 10 months of work, Coronato said.

MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook

 

 

The break-in occurred overnight after a special service was held Sunday night at 8 p.m. at Saint Joseph's Church, located on Hooper Avenue, to simulcast Pope Francis' Mass in Philadelphia, police said.

St. Joseph's Church located on Hooper Avenue. Police said someone broke in to the church and stole cash donations. (Photo provided by the Toms River Police Department). 

TOMS RIVER -- Police are searching for one or more suspects who they say broke into a church and stole an undisclosed amount of cash from donation boxes.

The break-in occurred overnight after a special service was held Sunday at 8 p.m. at St. Joseph's Church, located on Hooper Avenue, to simulcast Pope Francis' Mass in Philadelphia, police said.

The suspects entered the main area of the church and broke open numerous collection boxes that hold cash donations for the poor, police said.

The burglars also broke apart a wooden memorial candle stand and caused thousands of dollars in damage, police said.

Police asked anyone with information to contact Detective Robert O'Neill at 732-349-0150 ext. 1255, or send the Toms River Police Department Facebook page a private message. All tips will remain confidential, police said. 

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Keith M. Hahn, 37, failed to register with the Toms River Police Department for 2015 and was arrested and charged with failure to register pursuant to Megan's Law, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced on Wednesday.

Keith M. Hahn, 37, of Toms River. (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office).

TOMS RIVER -- A 37-year-old township man was arrested on Tuesday after he failed to register as a sex offender, authorities said.

Under state law, sex offenders are required to register annually or every 90 days with the police department of the town the offender lives in.

Keith M. Hahn, 37, failed to register with the Toms River Police Department for 2015 and was arrested and charged with failure to register pursuant to Megan's Law, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced on Wednesday.

Hahn was arrested and taken into custody without incident by members of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, Coronato said.

He was taken to the Ocean County jail in lieu of $45,000 bail with no 10 percent option. Authorities said Hahn is facing up to 5 years in state prison and a possible $15,000 fine.

Authorities asked anyone with relevant information regarding registrant offenders to contact Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Sgt. Michael V. Cecchini at 732-929-2027 ext. 7918. Tips can be given anonymously, authorities said. 

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Lakewood had the most violent crimes of any municipality in the county last year, according to data released Monday by the FBI.

Half of the municipalities in Ocean County had an increase in violent crime from 2013 to 2014, according to data released Monday by the FBI.

While many of those municipalities only saw a slight uptick, Lakewood had a 44 percent increase in violent crime from 93 incidents in 2013 to 167 in 2014, according to the FBI's annual "Crime in the United States" report. The violent crime totals included in the report are composed of murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault offenses.

The number of murders in Lakewood (2) stayed the same in 2014. But the amount of robberies nearly doubled from 34 in 2013 to 65 in 2014, and aggravated assaults jumped from 52 to 97, respectively, the report shows.

Rape incidents in Lakewood dipped from 5 in 2013 to 3 in 2014, according to the report.

The Lakewood Police Department did not respond to a request for comment.

Lakewood had the most violent crimes of any municipality in the county last year, according to the report.

However, Toms River had the most property crimes (2,466) and burglaries (484) in 2014, the report shows.

Between 2013 and 2014, the following 10 municipalities saw a decrease in violent crime: Lacey, Little Egg Harbor, Manchester, Point Pleasant Borough, Plumsted, Lakehurst, Seaside Park, Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars and Ocean Gate.

The following 16 municipalities saw increases in the number of violent crimes: Lakewood, Toms River, Jackson, Seaside Heights, Barnegat Township, Stafford, South Toms River, Beachwood, Long Beach Township, Tuckerton, Ocean Township, Pine Beach, Ship Bottom, Bay Head, Beach Haven and Surf City. 

Berkeley had 29 incidents of violent crime in 2014, but the township was not included in the FBI's 2013 report. 

Still, only six municipalities had more than 20 violent crime incidents and 17 had less than five incidents.

Also interesting to note, the report shows Jackson had 11 incidents of arson, by far the most out of any municipality in the county. And that was down from 24 incidents in 2013. At six arsons, Lakewood was the only other town to come close to Jackson in 2014.

Jackson police Capt. Steven Laskiewicz said in an email that the inflated arson figures are likely due to a higher number of reported incidents compared to other municipalities.

These reports "would also include brush fires in wooded areas that the police/fire department has to respond to," he said. 

While the FBI report offers some insight into crime at the local level, State Police release a more comprehensive report on an annual basis. The most recent report, which was released in April, showed Ocean County had the largest dip in violent crime in the state for 2013. The number was a 15 percent decrease compared to 2012.

The most recent reported released by the FBI showed that crime declined across New Jersey last year. Violent crime is also down in neighboring Monmouth County. 

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Congressional negotiators agreed to include a provision in the defense policy bill designed to protect Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst from cuts.

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon could not close any military bases nor retire the KC-10 aircraft now housed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst under legislation heading to the U.S. House and Senate floor.

Congressional negotiators agreed to include both provisions in the legislation that sets defense policy for the next 12 months. The restriction would be in effect for the next two fiscal years.

The overall bill may face Democratic opposition because it increases defense spending over budget caps, which the Republicans have said prevents them from boosting spending on domestic programs, including on Amtrak following the May fatal derailment in Philadelphia.

The bill prohibits defense officials from spending money to retire its fleet of KC-10 refueling tanker planes, which are stationed at the joint base. The KC-10 provision was included in the House version and was authored by both New Jersey freshmen on the House Armed Services Committee, Reps. Donald Norcross (D-1st Dist.) and Tom MacArthur (R-3rd Dist.).

EARLIER: N.J. lawmakers block Pentagon from possible cuts to McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

"The base is such an economic driver for the state of New Jersey but most importantly is part of our defense system for the United States," Norcross said.

The House also voted to prevent the Pentagon from transferring the fleet, but the final bill does not include that provision in order to give defense officials flexibility to move planes to another location if they are needed in war.

"The KC-10 is critically important not only to our military's air mobility and readiness, but to the survival of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and the tens of thousands of New Jersey residents employed there," MacArthur said. "It is imperative that we protect our most capable and reliable refeuler from an early and reckless retirement and ensure our nation's ability to project power abroad."

President Obama, who visited the joint base in December, had requested a new round of base closings in his budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins Thursday.

Members of the N.J. congressional delegation had expressed concern that the joint base would be targeted if Pentagon facilities were scaled back.

MORE POLITICS

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries after being struck Wednesday

 

LAKEWOOD -- A driver left the scene after striking and injuring a pedestrian Wednesday, police said.

The victim was hit around 6:30 p.m. near Ocean County Park on Rt. 88, police said. The victim was bleeding from the head but was alert when officers arrived and the injuries were considered non-life-threatening. The victim was taken to Ocean Medical Center in Brick, police also said.

A side view mirror believed to be from the vehicle was found at the scene. Witnesses described it as a gray Buick, model year 2000 to 2004.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook

 

Though lawmakers and industry officials vowed New Jersey gas stations would be better prepared for the next big storm, experts admit little has changed.

When Hurricane Sandy hit, most New Jerseyans were forced to drive for miles and wait in long lines to fill up their gas tanks.

Power outages left many local gas stations without the ability to pump. Other stations with electricity quickly ran out of fuel as panicked residents raced to fill up.

Though lawmakers and industry officials vowed New Jersey gas stations would be better prepared for the next big storm, experts admit little has changed.

"We're all nervous because of what happened from Sandy," said Sal Risalvato, executive director of the New Jersey Gasoline, C-Store, Automotive Association, an industry group representing the state's gas stations.

Gov. Chris Christie announced in 2013 that gas stations would be eligible for up to $7 million in federal funding to buy generators to keep pumping gas if they lost power during a storm.

However, few local gas stations have made it through the application process yet and installed their generators, Risalvato said.

"I don't have a lot of guys that have them completed yet," Risalvato said. "Most of those in the program are still in the (application) process."

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority, which is helping oversee the program, did not immediately respond to questions about how many generators have been installed.

More than 60 gas stations had been approved earlier this year, according to state officials, for $3 million in grants to install generators. Another 86 applicants were  waiting for approval. State officials did not list which generators has been installed and were operational.

Risalvato said many stations also had problems getting gasoline delivered after Hurricane Sandy because of damage to the sites that filled fuel delivery trucks.

"In the event of a storm like Sandy, do generators do any good?" Risalvato said. "The problem was getting gasoline delivered."

Last year, the U.S. Energy Department announced it was building a reserve of a million barrels of gasoline in the New York Harbor area and the Boston area in case of another fuel emergency like Hurricane Sandy.

But, it still may be a challenge to deliver the emergency fuel to local gas stations in the aftermath of another major storm.

Danny Jallo, owner of Exxon on the Run gas station in Lakewood, said he installed a $100,000 generator in August. He is still waiting for the federal money to help pay for the installation.

If a storm hits, the generator is ready to go, he said.

"It will be running for as long as we have natural gas running underground," said Jallo, who has owned the station on Route 88 for nearly 15 years.

During Hurricane Sandy, Jallo's station was without power for about a week. Once power was restored, the station ran out of gas and had to close again until it could get a delivery from an area fuel terminal.

"It was a very sad situation," Jallo said. "We had the power, then the terminals didn't have any power."

During the next storm, Jallo plans to stay open around the clock for as long as he can pump fuel with his new generator.

"Hopefully, we will never have to use it," he said. 

Preparing for new hurricane while old damage lingers

The sights and sounds of hurricane preparation and hurricane repair are pretty much the same. Plywood hammered tight. Sand bulldozed high. Everything not nailed down is elevated.

The Jersey coast was at work again Thursday, just as it's been for the three years since Hurricane Sandy.

But now, that work of recovery is melding into the busyness of battening down the hatches for Joaquin.

"It's hard to tell which is which," said Joe Ready, of Union Beach, as he moved a bunch of things out of his ground-level shed and into the elevated, unfinished shell of his home 200 yards from the Raritan Bay.

"The way this wind is blowing, we'll get two feet here easy," he said.

Along the Raritan, Delaware and Barnegat bays and the entire 127 miles of New Jersey's Atlantic Coast, it was Hurricane and Nor'easter 101 yesterday: Pull boats from  the water, strap down outdoor furniture, move indoor furnishings upstairs.

Except as the new unwanted guest is churning up the coast, the mess left by the old one still isn't cleaned up. Not structurally, not emotionally.

"This is normal for us," said Amanda Devecka-Rinear, who lives in a bungalow just a few feet from Barnegat Bay on Cedar Bonnet Island. It is a home that her family has owned since 1929. "We know how to prepare for a storm. But there is definitely a heightened anxiety here since Sandy. And that's not so much because of the storm, but because of the recovery."

Devecka-Rinear is executive director of the New Jersey Organizing Project and one of the people who followed Gov. Chris Christie to Iowa in March to protest for the thousands of families left homeless by Sandy.

PLUS: Threat of Hurricane Joaquin triggers anxiety in Sandy survivors

NJOP has brought attention to the problems in state and federal recovery programs, ranging from now well-documented insurance fraud to contractor malfeasance to predatory bank foreclosures.

"There are so many people who say what happened after the storm was worse than the storm," said Devecka-Rinear.

Ready is one of them. His house has been in limbo - a 20-foot high limbo - since last year, with no prospect of it ever being finished. He spent insurance money and his own savings to repair the house, and then entered the state's Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) grant program to have it raised. After the contractor went through the grant money, the company walked off the job and failed to secure his house. Vagrants vandalized it. And there it sits.

If the tidal surge from Joaquin washes ashore with any of the intensity of Sandy, Ready said, "I'm not sure what the house will do. Maybe it will just fall over. Maybe that would be best. Who the (expletive) knows? That would be fine with me."

What you hear in those words is Sandy fatigue.

Gloria Culos shares the same sentiment. Her house in Brick Township's Shore Acres was destroyed by Sandy, but because of recovery red tape, it has yet to be demolished.

"If this storm knocks it down, it will save me $10,000 (in demolition costs)," she said.

Culos lives in Beachwood now, far enough from Barnegat Bay to feel safe. "This house is my security blanket," she said. "If I were still on the water, I'd be very nervous."

Marita Axten is back on the water, in her Mystic Island home, and said she is "terrified."

"I'm scared and I'm worried sick," said Axten, whose home was destroyed by Sandy and only moved back in June. "I don't know if I can go through this again. No. I know. I can't."

Joe Mangino, of Beach Haven West, just got back in his house.     

"We're getting the final CO (certificate of occupancy) today," said Mangino, who is a member of NJOP and was with Devecka-Rinear in Iowa to protest in front of Christie.

"I have a lot of people calling me in a panic," he said. "I try to tell them to keep calm and prepare like they would for any other storm, but it's a little unsettling. Three years after Sandy, we still don't have the mechanisms to help people recover from a major storm."

In Union Beach this morning, crews were piling up dirt in the marsh that separates Brook Avenue from the Raritan Bay. The street was the place hardest hit on the Bayshore by Sandy. Homes were flattened or just disappeared, leaving brick steps to nowhere and full roofs lying on the ground.

The prep work was a scene playing out all along theShore, as towns pushed their beaches up to their boardwalks or trucked in dirt to fortify the shoreline.

Ken Langdon, a year-round resident of Ortley Beach section of Toms River, was relieved to see the township's public works crew pushing mounds of sand against the new boardwalk.

"Nothing's happened with the dunes," he said. "Then we heard they (the Army Corp of Engineers) were going to start, but nothing is happening.

"The town was out there last week, well ahead of this storm, building up the sand. It's not like the dunes they have in Lavallette or Seaside Park, but it's a start."

Those dunes, built high over years and fortified with grasses and plants, kept the damage in those places at a minimum during Sandy.

Whatever happens with Joaquin - whether it is widespread wind and wave destruction, or just typical coastal flooding - the threat alone has raised some important questions.

Mark Di Ionno may be reached at mdiionno@starledger.com. Follow The Star-Ledger on Twitter @StarLedger and find us on Facebook.

While some Sandy survivors might face Joaquin with a sense of resiliency, others may feel frozen by helplessness, said a public health expert who studies how people respond to natural disasters. Watch video

Three years ago, Hurricane Sandy devastated parts of New Jersey, destroying thousands of homes while causing widespread hardship.

With the possibility of another hurricane bearing down on the Garden State, some Sandy survivors, still recovering from Sandy, again have to find a way to cope.

David Abramson studies how people rebound from disaster; his most recent study found that 14 percent of Sandy victims ended up with classic cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He's the director of the Program on Population Recovery and Resiliency at New York University. Here's a summary of an interview with him:

You've written before that a small portion of people can actually come out of a disaster more resilient.

They could feel better about themselves, that they could get through a challenge like that. That doesn't mean they would still be anxious and concerned about being exposed to a major flooding event.

But we also know there are some people who haven't completely recovered from Sandy. They're going to be thinking, 'I haven't even completed recovery from the last time! What happens if this washes over again and I have to start all over again?'

You studied the community response to Hurricane Katrina.  What did you see there about the ability to handle subsequent problems?

We went back into the field after Hurricane Gustave, in 2008, which was three years after Katrina, so the exact same time span between now and Sandy. We found that people were more vigilant, they were more likely to evacuate.

But there was also a small - but not insignificant percentage who didn't evacuate. Their attitude was, 'I already faced down Katrina, so maybe it can't happen again.'

That may prove to be a problem with Joaquin. Only about 30 percent of residents evacuated during Sandy; even less in the evacuation zones. So that means more than 75 percent did not - and not all of them suffered damage.

They may say, 'Look, we made it through Sandy, and we didn't get harmed.' So they might be very hard to convince to evacuation.

Others ended up with a kind of learned helplessness. People begin to feel that they don't have any control over events in their lives. It can potentially extend past hurricanes, to other aspects of their lives.

RELATED: Study reveals the hidden toll on Superstorm Sandy victims

What about children? How will the prospect of another hurricane affect them?

Children from three years old to eight will be incredibly concerned about their parents, about being separated from them.

Children between the ages of 8 and 12 or 13 are in a developmental stage where they start to feel they have some ability to do some things....but then they get overwhelmed.

Teenagers will be having many different feelings. It can be challenging for them, because they want to be treated like adults, but they get swept up and treated like little kids. 

You're not a therapist, but do you have any advice for Sandy victims as they await Joaquin?

To the extent that people feel they can control their destiny, by marshaling their resources, the better they'll feel. They can't prevent a hurricane from happening, but at least they can get food, have a communications plan, get gas in the car, get cash. That usually goes a long way.

But if they get creamed a second time, that's going to be devastating - on their finances, on their relationships. 

A lot of people spent a lot of time and energy and money dealing with the recovery experience, so they know what it took. So when they envision having to go through that again, it's very draining. It's not one thing; it's all those things.

Armando Lima Vergara, 31, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, said in a news release.

Armando Lima Vergara, 31, of Lakewood. (Photo courtesy of the Ocean County jail)

LAKEWOOD -- A township man sexually assaulted a 6-year-old girl who he knew approximately six years ago, authorities said.

Armando Lima Vergara, 31, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, said in a news release.

Authorities launched an investigation in August and determined that Vergara had sexually assaulted a then 6-year-old girl on multiple occasions six years ago, Della Fave said. Vergara knew the girl, who is now 12.

Detectives with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and Lakewood Police Department made numerous attempts to locate Vergara, but couldn't find him, Della Fave said.

Vergara became aware detectives were looking for him, and turned himself in to authorities on Wednesday.

He was taken to the Ocean County jail in lieu of $150,000 bail with no 10 percent option. Judge Wendel E. Daniels implemented a no-contact order with the victim. The U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was also notified, Della Fave said.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

A Mahwah police officer saved the life of an 18-year-old Ramapo College student who was hit by a pickup truck, according to a report.

A Mahwah police officer saved an 18-year-old athlete's life on Sunday, The Record reported. (Courtesy photo) 

MAHWAH -- A Mahwah police officer saved the life of an 18-year-old Ramapo College student who was hit by a pick-up truck, according to The Record.

Officer Matt Lombardo used a tourniquet to stop Jason Criscuolo, 18, of Brick Township, from bleeding to death after he was struck by the vehicle while crossing Rt. 17 Sunday night, the newspaper reported.

This event follows other life-saving medical actions taken by police officers this year.

In January, an East Hanover police officer saved the life of a 16-year-old who went into cardiac arrest during a high school basketball game. This summer, two N.J. state troopers were credited with helping to save a man's life after a crash on the Turnpike.

More recently in September, a 79-year-old man recovered from a coma after a trio of Madison police officers administered CPR. 

Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Officials in Tuckerton are warning residents in flood prone areas to monitor the forecast in the coming days. Watch video

TUCKERTON -- The brunt of Hurricane Joaquin isn't supposed to hit New Jersey until early Tuesday morning, but residents in Ocean County are already starting to see heavy flooding outside their homes.

Officials in Tuckerton are warning residents in flood prone areas to monitor the forecast in the coming days. At 1:30 p.m., the Tuckerton Fire Department posted photos on its Facebook page of flooding on portions of Little Egg Harbor Boulevard, South Green Street and Willow Landing during high tide. 

The flooding serves as a warning to residents, who say they will wait until it recedes before making more preparations ahead of Hurricane Joaquin. 

"Take whatever precautionary measures needed," the post read.

Theresa Borkowski isn't taking that news lightly. The 80-year-old, who lives about two blocks from the bay, has already started tying down her outside furniture.

"We're flooded down at the main streets, Green Street and Heron Road," she said. "I just drove through a foot and a half of water. We're just hanging in here to see what happens. We're scared because of Sandy."

Parts of Little Egg Harbor Boulevard flooded at on Oct. 1. (Photo courtesy of the Tuckerton Fire Department). 

Borkowski said she will stay tuned to the forecast before making a decision on whether to leave her home. Before Sandy, she had planned to stick around, before getting word that friends were leaving their homes.

"I'm glad I didn't (stay)," she said. "The water was right up to the rafters underneath the house."

Borkowski's home is raised about 10 feet. She said damage can still be done when severe weather, like during Sandy, hits the neighborhood.

"We had things across the property that we didn't even know where they came from," she said. "But hopefully this one won't come through here."

A high wind watch and a coastal flood watch were posted for the entire New Jersey coastline from Friday to Saturday. On those days, forecasters expect more heavy rain, tropical storm force winds and potentially major coastal flooding to occur across parts of the state.

Cathy Prontnicki's home on Curlew Road in Tuckerton is already surrounded by flooding. Meanwhile, her husband is busy working for a local towing company, pulling boats out of the water for worried owners.

"I'm trapped here, I cant get out of the house," Prontnicki said. "I'm hoping at low tide to move my car to higher ground and we'll keep a truck here in case we have an emergency evacuation.

"My neighbors are very busy securing their outside stuff and we're hoping for the best," she added.

While Prontnicki's home is also raised, she is currently working on getting some belongings out of the on-ground garage. She said the entire garage was wiped out during Sandy, causing her to lose a refrigerator, washer and dryer, childhood photographs and $1,000 in tools. 

"We already have severe flooding," she said. "Property values were just starting to come back and who knows (now). It scares people."

In neighboring Little Egg Harbor Township, Susan McEwan spent a portion of Thursday afternoon packing her home's outdoor furniture into her garage so it would not be blown -- or washed -- away. Though she acknowledged there was no guarantee that they would not still be lost to the storm.

"We had about 22 inches of water on our property during Hurricane Sandy and a home we own in Beach Haven West was destroyed," McEwan said. "So I'm pretty apprehensive about the forecasts of another storm hitting us, it's actually kind of frightening. We're just hoping for the best at this point."

NJ Advance Media reporter Rob Spahr contributed to this report.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Ocean County was spared major problems Friday morning. Watch video

LITTLE EGG HARBOR -- Most local roads in Ocean County seemed to escape the brunt of overnight flooding near sunrise as a nor'easter bore down on the Jersey Shore. 

In Tuckerton, several roads off South Green Street were covered in water. Huge puddles dotted Heron Road, but cars were getting by before dawn. Parker Road was blocked off by a construction cone, but local traffic was getting by as needed.

Those same areas also flooded early Thursday around high tide. 

In Little Egg Harbor Township, streets over Radio Road were slick from hours of light rain but free of major problems. 

Elsewhere in Ocean County, high winds whipped shores and beaches, but with little resulting flooding.

RELATED: Coastal flooding, high wind warnings issued for parts of N.J.

In Seaside Heights near Vision Beach, work crews could be seen building a barrier wall of sand. As of daybreak, the storm surge had yet to reach it.

Streets in Point Pleasant, Toms River and surrounding areas remained clear as of Friday morning.

New Jersey is dealing with a powerful nor'easter, ahead of possible effects from Hurricane Joaquin. The latest forecast shows Joaquin giving the coast a wide berth, which would spare the shore from major effects.

On Thursday night, a steady rain fell along the Garden State Parkway, as electronic road signs warned of flooding and high winds. By Friday morning, an intermittent drizzle was falling, and the sky was covered in clouds. 

Rain in the area is supposed to pick up later Friday, according to the National Weather Service, with a predicted total of one to two inches. Winds could reach as high as 41 miles per hour. 

A wind advisory is in effect until Saturday at 6 p.m., and a coastal flood warning has been issued until Sunday at 6 p.m. 

Local schools were still in session Friday morning. A school bus traveling down Radio Road made its appointed stops, but several students appeared to have taken it upon themselves to call for a rain day, as the bus doors opened and closed without any embarkations. 

Staff Reporter Vernal Coleman contributed to this aritcle.

Brian Amaral may be reached at bamaral@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44. Find NJ.com on Facebook.