The rookie police officer was killed when his car crashed into a guard rail on the New Jersey Turnpike in East Brunswick on Dec. 29.

SPRING LAKE -- A rookie off-duty Port Authority police officer killed when his car smashed into a guard rail on the New Jersey Turnpike was mourned Saturday as a young man who was "a force of good" in a world that he viewed with hope and optimism.

St. Catharine's R.C. Church in Spring Lake was filled with hundreds of people who paid their last respects to Officer Eamonn Mautone, who family and friends described as a prankster who also served as a role model.

Mautone, 25, joined the Port Authority Police Department in August 2014 and was assigned to the World Trade Center Freedom Tower in New York City, a post he was proud to hold, said the Rev. Harold Cullen, who presided over the funeral. Authorities have not ruled out rainy conditions as contributing to his car accident in East Brunswick.

"When he found the family of the Port Authority Police Department, he felt he was home. He just love being part of that family, a... force which is now so deeply revered in the lives and the hearts of everybody in this country since 9/11," Cullen said to the crowd, which included an overflow of police officers watching the mass in the church basement.

Thirty-seven Port Authority police officers died in the World Trade Center attacks in 2001.

Port Authority cop killed in crash loved protecting Freedom Tower, family says

Among the attendees were Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, Port Authority Public Safety Superintendent Michael Fedorko, Chief Security Officer Thomas Belfiore,  Deputy Public Safety Superintendent Edward Cetnar and Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Mautone's parents, Edmond and Bridget Mautone, were presented with an American flag that flew over the World Trade Center on New Year's Eve, two days after their oldest child's death.

 

His brothers Brendan and Sean Mautone struggled through a liturgical reading and often hugged and consoled each other during the 90-minute mass.

"I can't get over how this young lad has touched the lives and hearts of so many people," said Cullen, who knows the Mautone family through their membership in the Ocean County Emerald Society Pipes and Drums. Mautone, who lived in Jackson for nearly all his life, played bagpipes since he was 12.

Cullen reminded mourners about Mautone's  "warm smile and embrace, his unflappable sense of optimism and cheerfulness."

"Eamonn always loved and enjoyed whatever he was doing. He just exuded it."

That's the same mentality he took to his new job with the Port Authority, Cullen said.

"There's only one thing that can make a real difference to all of us who are left behind," Cullen said. "And that is the faith that we share together."

That faith, Cullen said, it that while death is an ending in one respect, it's the beginning of a "glorious and happy" new chapter for Mautone.

The Pipes and Drums corps escorted the funeral procession of vehicles to and from St. Catharine's . And more than 100 Port Authority police officers lined the road beside the church and stood at attention as the hearse carrying Mautone's casket passed by.

He left the mourners with a suggestion on how to go on with their lives.

"Think about what Eamonn might say to you if he could talk to you today from where he is now," Cullen said. "I know he would say 'wherever you are in life, live life to the fullest. Hold on to the people in your life who love you and who you love. Don't settle for what's comfortable and easy.  Stretch your physical and your spiritual horizons.'"

Emily Schwartz, 19, New Tripoli, Pa. and Kayla Gregson, 20, of Saylorsburg, Pa., brandished knives inside the station's store and demanded money and cigarettes, police allege.

RED BANK -- Two Pennsylvania women robbed a gas station and fled officers on the Garden State Parkway before being arrested in Middletown as they tried to get back on the highway, police allege.

The incident began at 11:35 p.m. Friday when the women allegedly held up the Shell gasoline station at the corner of Newman Springs Road and Shrewsbury Avenue, Red Bank Police Chief Darren McConnell said.

File photo
 

The suspects, later identified as Emily Schwartz, 19, New Tripoli, Pa. and Kayla Gregson, 20, of Saylorsburg, Pa., brandished knives inside the station's store and demanded money and cigarettes, McConnell said.

An employee handed over cash and smokes and the women fled in a vehicle that another employee watched as it drove west toward the Parkway, McConnell said. The employee then got into his own car and pursued the robbers.

McConnell said the pursuing employee saw a Middletown police officer on a traffic stop near the Parkway entrance and alerted him to the vehicle and said the occupants had just robbed the station.

The officer went after the vehicle and pulled it over a short time later on the northbound side of the Parkway, but as he approached the vehicle on foot, it sped away, McConnell said.

The officer lost the vehicle when it exited the highway at exit 114 on Red Hill Road, where Middletown and Holmdel meet, McConnell said. 

Officers from Red Bank, Middletown and Holmdel flooded the area and a Holmdel police officer pulled the vehicle over a short time later as it was apparently trying to get back on the Parkway, McConnell said. The woman were detained without further incident.

McConnell said the women later told officers they had been visiting friends in Lakewood and allegedly decided to randomly rob a station on the way home to Pennsylvania.

Police believe the women were unaware of the area and that led to them being pulled over trying to get back on the Parkway, McConnell said.

Schwartz and Gregson are charged with robbery and weapon possession charges in Red Bank and Middletown police plan to charge them with eluding police. Gregson was additionally charged with possessing drug paraphernalia.

Both were being held Saturday evening at the Monmouth County jail in Freehold Township on $75,000 bail.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea.

 

A 29-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman remain in critical condition from the Friday crash on Route 1.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK -- A 13-year-old Ocean County girl has died from injuries she suffered in the New Year's Day crash on Route 1 that sent eight people to local hospitals, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital said late Saturday.

In addition to the teen's death, a 29-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman remain in critical condition at the hospital, Robert Wood spokesman Peter Haigney said.

The hospital did not say which vehicles the patients were in.

South Brunswick police have said that 8 people were hospitalized as a result of the 5:16 a.m. Friday crash that closed Route 1 north for six hours.

The two-vehicle crash occurred near Deans Lane, South Brunswick Police Capt. Jim Ryan said Friday, and involved a Nissan Sentra and a minivan.

The minivan was headed north on Route 1, police said, and the crash occurred as the Sentra was crossing the north lanes onto Deans Lane.

The Sentra driver, who had four passengers, may have been distracted by a cellphone, and ran the red light at the jughandle, police said.

Police had no indications that alcohol was involved. 

The oldest occupant of the Sentra, the driver, was 27 years old, and the two front passengers of the minivan were 59-year-old residents of North Brunswick, police said. There was also another passenger in the minivan, authorities said.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital received seven of the injured, and one person was taken to St. Peter's Hospital, authorities said.

Three people were described as being in critical condition by officials on Friday.

South Brunswick police did not immediately responded to an inquiry Saturday night about the child's death.

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

Brick police Chief James Riccio said DeMarco was a go-to patrolman who his superiors could rely on for the more serious jobs.

Patrolman Kristopher DeMarco, #213. (Photo courtesy of the Brick Township Police Department).

BRICK -- A 12-year veteran patrolman died Saturday after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.

Officer Kristopher DeMarco, 38, had just been diagnosed in early November. But, at the time of his diagnosis, the cancer had already spread throughout his body, said Brick Mayor John Ducey.

"He was a really great officer," Ducey said. "... He's been a Brick resident his whole life. He Graduated from Brick Memorial High School, worked at Steinbachs. Everyone knows him around here."

Brick police Chief James Riccio said DeMarco was a go-to patrolman who his superiors could rely on for the more serious jobs.

"Kris was a great guy," Riccio said. "He was friends with everybody and that's what makes it even tougher. ... He touched a lot of people because he was so personable."

Former police Chief Rick Bergquist, who retired in December, said DeMarco was a "hardworking policeman." 

"He was respected by anyone who worked with him and knew him," Bergquist said. "He was very quiet, a friendly person who got along with everyone."    

DeMarco was hired by the Brick Township Police Department on August 5, 2003.

A graduate of the Ocean County Police Academy's 81^st class, DeMarco spent the bulk of his career working the midnight shift.

He also served as a background investigator, an assistant to the department's training unit and was a member of the Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) since January 2007.

From 2009 to 2010, DeMarco was assigned to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Special Operations Group.

He served on the executive board for the PBA #230 as its financial secretary and was an active member in numerous charitable committees.

DeMarco earned a number of chief's certificates and awards, including the Policeman of the Year award in 2007.

Brick police announced DeMarco's death on its Facebook page Sunday afternoon. The post had 214 comments as of Sunday evening, many offering their condolences to the Brick Township community.

"We offer our sincerest condolences on the loss of this fine young officer," one commenter wrote. "Rest in Peace."

Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy issued a statement on his Facebook page thanking DeMarco for his service.

"On behalf of Sheriff Michael Mastronardy and the entire staff at the Ocean County Sheriff's Office we send our thoughts and prayers to the family of Brick Township Police Officer Kris Demarco who passed away today," the statement said. "Life is very short for so many... God speed #213."

Other departments around the county also offered their support on Sunday. 

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

 

Information on contacting the shelters and rescues caring for these animals is available with each photo by clicking on the caption button.

This week's gallery of pets in need of adoption is made up of dogs and cats from all over northern and central New Jersey.

If you're interested in giving a home to any of these animals, information on contacting the shelters and rescues caring for them is available with each photo by clicking on the caption button.

More pets in need of adoption can be viewed here and here.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

A former Monmouth County teacher reportedly admitted in court to sending inappropriate text messages to students and/or having sexual physical contact with them. Watch video

Nicholas DePue, 29, of Whispering Oaks Way in Jackson, a former teacher at Monmouth Regional High School, was charged with having sexual relationships with two students. (Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office) 

FREEHOLD - A former Monmouth Regional High School teacher reportedly admitted in court to sending inappropriate text messages to students and/or having sexual physical contact with them.

Nicholas DePue, 29, of Whispering Oaks Way in Jackson, was charged in June with second-degree counts of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child after investigators discovered that he had carried on a yearlong relationship with one of his students, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said at the time.

As a result of those charges, DePue was fired from his job as a teacher at Monmouth Regional High School, authorities said.

The following month, DePue was also charged with additional counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact after investigators identified a second victim, the prosecutor's office said.

DePue pleaded guilty in front of Superior Court Judge Joseph Oxley on Monday to two second-degree counts of endangering the welfare of minors, two girls, ages 16 and 17, both students at the school in Tinton Falls, the Asbury Park Press reported. 

DePue admitted that he endangered the welfare of the girls by sending them inappropriate text messages and/or having physical contact of a sexual nature with them during the early months of 2015. He conceded that this behavior would tend to impair the morals of minors over whom he had supervision in his position at the high school, the newspaper reported.

In exchange for DePue's guilty plea, the state agreed to recommend that he be sentenced to concurrent five-year prison terms with no period of parole ineligibility. He will also be required to register as a sex offender under Megan's Law and will be under lifetime parole supervision, the Asbury Park Press reported.

DePue's sentencing was tentatively scheduled for April 22.

Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

 

Jesus Roman, 24, and Carlos Lagunes, 23, both of Sussex, were each charged Monday with murder, burglary and hindering in connection with the death of Miguel Rivera, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced Tuesday.

LAKEWOOD -- Two Sussex County men are accused of killing a 45-year-old township man at his residence on Christmas Eve.

Jesus Roman, 24, and Carlos Lagunes, 23, both of Sussex, were each charged Monday with murder, burglary and hindering in connection with the death of Miguel Rivera, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced Tuesday. Rivera's death was ruled suspicious after police found his body face down in his home with trauma to his head.

Evelyn Rodriguez, 46, of Sussex, was charged with hindering. (Photo courtesy of the Ocean County jail)

Roman's mom, Evelyn Rodriguez, 46, of Sussex, was charged last week with hindering, Coronato said.

At around 8 p.m. on Dec. 24, police went to Rivera's residence on Laguna Lane after they received a call from a concerned family member who hadn't heard from him in several days.

When police entered the home, they found Rivera's body lying face down in a hallway with what appeared to be trauma to his head, authorities said.

Lagunes was arrested Monday at a pizzeria in Sussex by New Jersey State Police troopers from the Sussex Barracks, authorities said. A short time later, authorities said, Roman was arrested at his residence on Church Street.

Roman knew Rivera and had lived with him in Lakewood at one point, a source close to the investigation told NJ Advance Media. Rodriguez, Roman's mother, also had a very close relationship with Rivera, the source said. 

Rodriguez was arrested on Dec. 29 at the State Police's Sussex Barracks and charged with hindering, authorities said. Rodriguez deceived detectives when questioned on her son's whereabouts at the time of the murder, said Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Ray Gardner, a detective with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office's Major Crimes Unit, and Lakewood police Patrolman Mike Mooney were the lead investigators in the case. The Ocean County Sheriff's Department Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) unit provided additional assistance.

Roman and Lagunes were taken to the Ocean County jail and bail was set at $1 million cash only. Bail for Rodriguez was set at $250,000 with a 10-percent option.

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

 

U.S. District Judge William Walls said Anthony "Whitey" Stango's crimes were not just matters related to his drug use. "These are not jaywalking offenses," he said.

NEWARK -- He is a son of an alleged captain in one of New Jersey's reputed organized crime families, the one said to be the inspiration for the swaggering mob-based TV series, "The Sopranos."

But on Tuesday, Anthony "Whitey" Stango of Brick was not the image of a TV tough guy but a humbled man, sentenced to six years in jail for selling drugs, planning a prostitution operation and illegally possessing a shotgun. 

Stango, 34, was sentenced after he admitted last summer to distributing more than $70,000 worth of cocaine and planning a high-end prostitution ring based near the Jersey shore. 

Stango's attorney, Gary Mizzone of Little Falls, acknowledged that Stango sold cocaine at least seven times to a government agent and discussed the prostitution operation with his father, Charles Stango, who federal prosecutors have said is a longtime captain in the DeCavalcante crime family. 

Son of accused 'Sopranos' mobster admits plot to run prostitution biz

Mizzone said Stango "got washed up" in the notoriety surrounding organized crime. In reality, he said, Stango had a "distant" and "estranged" relationship with his father. 

He asked U.S. District Court Judge William Walls to consider that Stango has two children, ages 7 and 9, as he prepared to impose a sentence. 

"I deeply regret my actions," Stango said in a brief statement. "I hope to get through this to be a better father."

But Stango's criminal history has not been just about his drug use, argued Assistant U.S. Attorney Grady O'Malley. He noted Stango has a record including charges of burglary, passing bad checks and probation violations, in addition to the latest crimes to which he pleaded guilty.  

Walls agreed, saying, "Those are not jaywalking offenses."

In addition to the 72-month sentence to prison, Walls tacked on five years of supervision following his release, which will include drug testing. 

He also warned Stango to avoid associating with any "street gangs" or "organized crime group" before his reports to prison March 15.

Stango's father is facing his own charges related to the planned prostitution operation and for planning to murder an organized crime rival.

Tim Darragh may be reached at tdarragh@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @timdarragh. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

 

No charges have been filed yet, and the driver, 27-year-old Azel Hernandez Vargas, is the older brother of the victim, which could factor in whether criminal charges are appropriate.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK -- Police are continuing to investigate a two-car crash New Year's Day that left a 13-year-old Toms River girl dead.

No charges have been filed yet -- and the driver, 27-year-old Azel Hernandez Vargas, is the older brother of the victim, which could factor into whether criminal, rather than just traffic citations, are appropriate.

"The person who was driving the car is the 13-year-old's brother, so because of this lapse in judgment his younger sister is killed," South Brunswick police Capt. James Ryan told WABC-TV. "This is a tragedy, there's nothing at this point in time that indicates anything other than that."

Ryan told NJ Advance Media that police will review the case with the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office before any action is taken.

Authorities have 30 days to file charges.

Police said Vargas was driving a Nissan Sentra on Route 1 around 5 a.m. when he crossed into the northbound lanes at Deans Lane, colliding with a Nissan Quest.

Vargas may have been distracted by a cellphone, police said. 

Vargas' younger sister, Blanca Azucena Hernandez Vargas, was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she died less than 24 hours after the crash.

Blanca Vargas was a student at Toms River Intermediate North School. Crisis-intervention counselors were made available at the school to any student in need of assistance, said Tammi Millar, a spokeswoman for the Toms River School District.

"It is always a tragedy to lose someone so young," she said. "The District's thoughts and prayers are with the family."

The family declined to speak with NJ Advance Media when contacted by a reporter.

A funeral service is scheduled for Thursday morning at St. Joseph's Church in Toms River.

Three other passengers in the Sentra were hospitalized following the crash. Backseat passenger Cirilo Velazquez-Roja, 21, of Lakewood, remained in critical condition as of Monday afternoon. Ilda Hernandez, also sitting in the back seat, was in critical but stable condition. Front passenger Sarah Zollner, 19, of Toms River, was treated for injuries that were not life threatening.

The three occupants of the Nissan Quest were also treated for injuries sustained in the crash. 

-- NJ Advance Media's Brian Amaral and Vinessa Erminio contributed to this report.

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

Several hundred affected on frigid evening

TOMS RIVER -- About 1,800 customers were without power Tuesday night, Jersey Central Power and Light confirmed. 

The outage, which was reported around 6 p.m., is centered on an area around Toms River Park between Mule Road and the Garden State Parkway, according to an online map maintained by the utility. 

Power to most customers should be restored between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m., the utility also reported. 

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

 

The joint base's Air Show and Open House May 14 and 15 will feature the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST -- The joint base has announced that its air show and open house will return this year.

The 2016 show, "Power in the Pines," is scheduled to soar May 14 and 15.

The show was not held in 2015, but the show has drawn hundreds of thousands of people in years past for the two-day event, where visitors can examine military aircraft and watch flying demonstrations.

"We are looking forward to welcoming our community partners to our open house and air show," event director Air Force Lt. Col. Pat Rayner said. "This is a great opportunity to thank our community for their support and to showcase what goes on behind our gates and in our skies each day."

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline this year's air show, performing aerial maneuvers in the F-16 Fighting Falcon jet, the base said.

Joint base officials said the Thunderbirds' performance will be the first of several other aerial demonstrations to take place during the two days. The other acts will be announced at a later date.

The open house and air show gives the community the chance to "take a closer look at the joint base's global mobility, training and innovation capabilities and see a true joint and total force platform," the base said.

Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Some photographers braved single-digit wind chills to capture impressive pictures of the light fog over the Jersey Shore.

No doubt, lots of New Jerseyans were griping about the bone-chilling temperatures that greeted them Tuesday morning when they walked out their door. 

For some, like folks residing along the Jersey Shore, the blast of Arctic air turned out to be a good thing. It was a perfect ingredient for the formation of a light layer of fog known as "sea smoke" over the Atlantic Ocean.

With rays of sunshine poking through the clouds in the early morning, the sea smoke provided a scenic backdrop to an otherwise miserable winter day. 

Bill McKim, a Belmar resident who owns a photography business in town, captured several colorful images of Tuesday's sea smoke drifting over the waves as the sun was rising, and he posted them on Facebook and Twitter.

"Amazing sea smoke this morning. I think it's the best I have ever seen," McKim raved in a Twitter post.  

"I got a few frozen fingers this morning," he said in another post. "Need to find my gloves!"

PLUS: Cold enough to freeze soda, beer and milk?

Turns out the conditions were just right for sea smoke -- also known as mixing fog -- to form Tuesday morning, with the dry Arctic air mixing with the warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures, said Sarah Johnson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly.  

"The air above the water is so cold and dry while the (air along the surface of the) water that it comes in contact with is relatively warm and moist," Johnson said. "It's the same process that happens when you can see your breath on a cold morning."

In both cases, condensation is taking place, with the moisture or water vapor turning into tiny water droplets that are visible in the air.

For those who missed Tuesday's ocean display, there's a good chance some sea fog will form again Wednesday morning, Johnson said. That's because the ocean temperature is about 50 degrees, and dry, frigid air will be in place once again.

McKim, who braved 15-degree temperatures to snap his pictures, wasn't alone in taking to social media to share his scenic photos of Tuesday's sea smoke. Here's a sampling of the ones we spotted:

Smoke on the water: Sea smoke returns >>> https://t.co/FZaDUx62l0 pic.twitter.com/BwOYPJ4hxb

-- JSHN (@JSHurricaneNews) January 5, 2016

#photography #sunrise #artwork "sea smoke-3544" By Bill McKim https://t.co/9FcqCNXVwK pic.twitter.com/t5wNBjcOkE

-- Bill Mckim (@belmardays) January 5, 2016

Amazing sea smoke this morning.I think it's the best I have ever seen. @AccuWxBeck @weatherchannel @KatyTurNBC pic.twitter.com/PazujoXIsp

-- Bill Mckim (@belmardays) January 5, 2016

Lavallett,NJ ocean smoke this morning @AccuRayno pic.twitter.com/viM1laFlK9

-- Mike Velzy (@sipandsurf) January 5, 2016

Brrrrrrrrrrr. Sea smoke over the Manasquan Inlet early this morning by JSHN contributor Jeffrey Brehm. pic.twitter.com/MsFkSdfjk8

-- JSHN (@JSHurricaneNews) January 6, 2016

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Stephone Potts Jr., 29, of Willingboro, was sitting in a vehicle at the Sunoco gas station on Monmouth Road at 6:12 p.m. on New Year's Eve when he was spotted hitting a woman, Capt. Steven Laskiewicz said. Watch video

Stephone Potts Jr., 29, of Willingboro. (Ocean County jail).

JACKSON -- Police are searching for a man accused of hitting a woman in a parked car at a gas station and then assaulting someone who tried to intervene.

Stephone Potts Jr., 29, of Willingboro, was sitting in a vehicle at the Sunoco gas station on Monmouth Road at 6:12 p.m. on New Year's Eve when he was spotted hitting a woman, Capt. Steven Laskiewicz said.

A passerby who witnessed the incident told Potts to stop and then yelled at the gas attendants to call 911, Laskiewicz said. Police did not identify the passerby.

Laskiewicz said Potts exited the vehicle and hit the passerby in the head, causing the victim to fall on the ground face first and lose consciousness. The victim also suffered serious injuries to his face.

While on the ground, Potts allegedly stole the victim's cellphone and then ran away.

The victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment. 

Police said Potts is known to drive a green 2000 Honda Civic with the license plate F2FKW.

His last known address is on Messenger Lane in Willingboro.

Police asked anyone with information on his whereabouts to call the Jackson Police Department at 732-928-1111.

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

 

Police said they were first alerted to the shooting when they received several phone calls from people reporting hearing a gunshot.

UPDATE: Police identify alleged shooter in drug-related robbery

 

TOMS RIVER -- A Toms River man was shot at an apartment complex in an apparent robbery attempt, authorities said on Wednesday.

The shooting occurred shortly after 3 p.m. on Tuesday in the parking lot of Winteringham Village on Route 166 in Toms River, said Ralph Stocco, spokesman for the Toms River Police Department.

Stocco said police were first alerted to a possible shooting at 3:09 p.m. when they received several phone calls from people reporting they heard what they believed to be a gunshot at the apartment complex. Officers checked the scene but found no evidence or suspects, Stocco said.

Within a short time of that call, police received word of a 19-year-old Toms River man who arrived at Community Medical Center in town with a single gunshot wound to his shoulder, Stocco said. The man told investigating officers that he was in the parking lot of Winteringham Village earlier in the day when a man brandishing a handgun approached him.

Stocco said that as the victim was standing near his car, the suspect walked up to him and fired a single shot in an apparent robbery attempt.  The man then fled on foot, Stocco said.

"We are in the process of identifying a suspect or suspects and ask the public to contact us with any information that they may have," Stocco said.

The victim, who was not identified, was initially treated at Community Medical Center but was later taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he remains in stable condition with a non-life threatening injury, Stocco said.

Toms River Detective Roger Hull is leading the investigation with the assistance of the department's entire Criminal Investigation Bureau., he said.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Hull at 732-349-0150 ext. 1291. 

Also providing assistance was the CSI Division of the Ocean County Sheriff's Department and the Toms River Police Emergency Services Unit.

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

 

Police initially responded to the residence on Route 539 in the Cream Ridge section of town at 3:21 a.m. for a chimney fire.

PLUMSTED -- A house fire on Monday led police to discover a large marijuana-manufacturing operation in a garage, police said.

Police initially responded to the residence on Route 539 in the Cream Ridge section of town at 3:21 a.m. for a chimney fire.

Firefighters were able to get two people out of the home safely and extinguish the fire, which was contained to the home's chimney, according to police.

While firefighters were battling the blaze, Ryan Dullea, the township's fire marshal, and K-9 Officer Ryan Nani began searching the inside of the house for other occupants and to see if the fire spread.

During this search, the officers found a marijuana-growing operation in the first floor garage, police said. When the officers went outside to speak with the two occupants, later identified as 32-year-old William G. Adler and 36-year-old Sean Cannariato, they had fled the area.

Plumsted police detectives Brant Uricks and AJ Mantz were then called in to search of the home.

Uricks and Mantz discovered 129 marijuana plants growing underwater, a process known as "hydro," police said. They also found a rifle and equipment used to cultivate the marijuana. Police said each of the plants had the potential to produce about a 1 pound of marijuana.

Also found in the search, chemicals and products that led authorities to believe the garage was being used as a "DAB" production facility, police said. That process involves using butane and other highly flammable products to produce a wax-like form of marijuana.  

Authorities also confiscated a computer during the search and $8,000 in suspected drug proceeds, police said.

Detectives with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Special Operations group were able to locate Adler and Cannariato hiding in a nearby retirement community. Both men were charged with drug manufacturing, intent to distribute drugs and other drug offenses.

They were taken to the Ocean County Jail and bail was set at $100,000 with no 10-percent option.

Also assisting at the scene were detectives with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Special Investigations Unit and High Technology Crimes Unit. 

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

 

Photos from 20 years ago, when one of the worst blizzards in New Jersey history dumped more than 2 feet of snow, crippling the state for several days.

Police were first alerted to the shooting at Winteringham Village on Route 166 when several people called to report hearing a gunshot.

Stephon Wilmot(Toms River Police Department) 

TOMS RIVER -- Toms River police are looking for a 22-year-old township resident they say tried to kill a man in an attempted drug-related robbery.

Investigators identified Stephon Wilmot as the alleged shooter at an apartment complex on Tuesday afternoon.

Wilmot, who is charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon, is believed to be operating a 2001 Ford Taurus with New Jersey license plates, said Ralph Stocco, spokesman for the Toms River Police Department. Wilmot is considered armed and dangerous, he said.

Toms River police investigating shooting at apartment complex

Police were first alerted to the shooting at Winteringham Village on Route 166 when several people called to report hearing a gunshot at 3:09 p.m. When investigators arrived, they found no evidence or a suspect, Stocco said.

A short time later, police were informed that a 19-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his shoulder was at Community Medical Center in town. The victim, who was not identified, was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he was in stable condition with a non-life threatening injury, Stocco said.

Stocco said the victim and Wilmot know each other and the shooting appears to be drug related.

Bail for Wilmot has been set at $750,000 cash.

Anyone with information about Wilmot's whereabouts is asked to call Toms River Detective Roger Hull at 732-349-0150, ext. 1291. Investigators caution residents who see Wilmot not to approach him and to call 911 immediately.

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

 

 

It varied by town, but some saw a tremendous spike in gun applications. Watch video

Fear over President Obama's executive orders on firearms led to a notable surge in gun purchases and permit requests in many parts of the New Jersey, according to gun stores and police departments.

The increase has ranged from place to place: Some towns reported the typical early-January weekday demand, while others called the surge record-setting as prospective gun owners begin the permit application process at their local police departments.

"The spike has been tremendous," said Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez of the Howell Police Department. "It seems to be a record-setting pace at this point."

In South Brunswick and River Vale, gun permit applications have at least doubled, officials at both departments said.

"It is very common for us to see increases when there is talk of changes to gun laws," South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said.

In Marlboro and Elmwood Park, however, it's business as usual -- but business as usual in 2016 is more than double the pace of ten years ago. In 2015, the federal government carried out 90,034 criminal checks, called NICS checks, for prospective New Jersey gun buyers, according to federal data. In 2005, the figure stood at 36,852.

Ironically, Obama's executive actions appear to have been a boon for gun shop proprietors, at least in the short term.

"Obama is our best salesman and he proves it again," said Mel Katz, owner of Defensive Security in East Windsor. "As soon as he makes these executive orders, everyone is going to buy guns."

http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2016/01/obama_is_our_best_salesman_nj_gun_shop_owner_says.html

Obama's executive actions, announced just after the new year in an emotional speech, would expand background checks at gun shows and for online purchases. Gun shows are effectively banned in New Jersey, due to a state law requiring all gun purchases to be carried out on a licensed gun dealer's premises.

The federal government would also hire hundreds more people to carry out background checks. Legal challenges to Obama's new rules are a near certainty.

The executive actions come after a series of mass shootings, beginning with the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012 and ending, most recently, with the San Bernardino terrorist attacks in December. Obama has exhorted Congress numerous times to tighten the country's gun laws, but the Republican-controlled legislative branch has stymied his efforts.

Advocates for stricter gun control argue that the shootings are proof that America's gun laws are too lax, but concern over new restrictions have sent gun permit applications skyrocketing in a state that already has some of the most strict laws in the country.

Jeff Green and Bill MacStudy, co-owners of Garden State Shooting Center, a range and gun shop in Lakewood, say sales have been steadily increasing since President Obama's announcement.

MacStudy said they've seen a diverse mix of clientele, too, from senior citizens to 18 year olds.

"A lot of the customers are saying it's their right to have (guns)," he said. "It's their right to have them and they don't want to lose their rights."

Green and MacStudy say they've noticed an uptick in sales since the shooting in San Bernardino, Calif. Amid that terrorist attack,  customers  at the shop are concerned for their safety.

That fear has also led to an influx in attendance in classes on how to handle and shoot firearms.

"The classes sell out every month," Green said. "Every time there's an incident in the news, people realize the police can't protect them, and we get a spike in sales. Every one of these incidents happens in a state where people can't protect themselves."

It's not that police are incompetent, MacStudy said, but rather they can't be everywhere at once.

 "When seconds count, police will be there in minutes," he said. "And that's why people want to protect themselves."

Chief Jody Farabella of the Millville Police Department said that fear over new gun laws has helped stoke gun demand.

"Some people are frightened they aren't going to be able to purchase them," said Fabarella, who added that five to seven people apply for gun permits every day.

At Bob's Little Sport Shop in Glassboro, business has never been better.

The increase in gun ownership is directly related to people's trust in the government, said owner Bob Viden Sr.

"Many of them feel like they are afraid of their own government and that's a shame," Viden said Wednesday in his store. "They are afraid they don't have the protection they need and want a gun to protect their family."

At one Jersey City gun shop, the mood toward Obama was anger, tinged with mockery.

A black-and-white image of Obama dressed as the Cowardly Lion from "The Wizard of Oz" -- the flier is captioned "The Lyin' King" -- hung next to a row of hunting and trap guns on Monday. Above that was an picture of former Pope Benedict XVI that reads, "Obama, if I could do it, so can you! RESIGN!!"

"He exploited everyone in the room to promote something he knows nothing about," said Caso's owner Frank Caso.

Said Caso's daughter, Virginia: "They don't want anybody to have a firearm."

With reporting by Alex Napoliello, Cristina Rojas, Noah Cohen, Don E. Woods, Terrence T. McDonald and Jonathan D. Salant.

Frank Labianco was reported missing on Dec. 27 and was last seen the day before by his employer.

HAMILTON -- Police are searching for a Hamilton man who has been missing for at least a week and a half, Hamilton police said.

Frank Labianco Jr., 32, of Hamilton was reported missing by a family member on the night of Dec. 27.

Frank Labianco, 32, has been missing for over a weekHamilton Police  

Labianco doesn't have a permanent home but stays with family in New Egypt section Plumsted Township or with an employer in Hamilton, police said in a statement.

The family member told police he last heard from Labianco the week before on Dec. 19 when he got a text from the 32-year-old.

Labianco's employer then saw Labianco on Dec. 26 on the 700 block of South Broad Street in Trenton but Labianco left the area when the employer walked toward him, police said.

ALSO: Trenton EMT delivers baby in ambulance

He's around 5-feet 10-inches, 150 pounds with brown hair and green eyes. The last time he was seen he was wearing a "Bohren's Moving" blue hooded jacket, jeans, a grey hat and work boots, the release said. He was carrying a backpack.

Anyone with information is asked to call Hamilton Police at (609) 581-4000. 

Anna may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

Astronauts suiting up for space flights was nothing compared to getting ready to go out and play in the snow back in the day.

As a child, I had an avid interest in the space program. Good ol' Life Magazine ran regular features on the topic; one of them had to do with the long process involved in astronauts getting "suited up" for space flight.

Even then, I thought of how what they went through was nothing compared to getting ready to go out and play in the snow back in the day.

These were the days before Spandex and Gore-Tex; heck, stocking caps were rarely seen. And it's hard to determine what was worse - the extended process of "suiting up" or the torture of seeing a new snowfall outside but being delayed so long from actually getting out into it.

Long underwear as a base was a traditional start, made of highly absorbent cotton, all the better to stay nice and wet after your sister dumped snow down your back 10 seconds after stepping outside.

A series of sweatshirts and/or flannel shirts would follow, each layer making arm movement more difficult.

courtesy of jogblog.com 

For the lower half of the body, two pairs of pants would be appropriate, usually a corduroy layer on top of jeans (sweat pants weren't yet common either). Now all four limbs were fairly secure in being immobilized.

Finally, a couple of pairs of socks would be followed by the classic rubber boots with snapping locklets. I honestly don't know what was worse; trying to force-close them over multiple-socked feet or trying to pry them open at the end of the day after ice had become fused to their metal components.

Plastic bags on feet? As a reader noted, plastic bags weren't all that common not too long ago; nonetheless, some went with them, others didn't. My experience was that they served to create a 'shoe sauna' at best and, at worst, turned your foot into a block of ice should the sweat-filled plastic break inside your boot.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Hey Shaun, try that with five shirts and three pairs of pants!Star-Ledger archive 

Finalizing the preparation would be some kind of hat and gloves. The "earlap" style of hat was common when I was a kid, and it did little to nothing to keep ears from freezing. Gloves, with or without fingers, would be something made of wool that became soaked immediately and fairly useless when they refroze.

And to top it all off, I wore glasses, meaning my face was open to the elements, and glasses fogging, snow encrustment and losing them in a snow drift were all eventualities.

And yet, none of it mattered once the door opened and a winter wonderland of sledding, skating, snowballs and snowmen awaited.

Even though the state hasn't had a snowfall yet in the winter of 2015-16, I think you'll enjoy this vintage look at winter in New Jersey. Be sure to have captions enabled to read all about these classic pictures.

Can't get enough? Here's a link to last year's gallery.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.