GLEN RIDGE — Multiple people died in a car crash after a police pursuit Tuesday morning in Glen Ridge, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Kathy Carter said.
The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General is investigating the crash, Carter said. The Attorney General’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The car, a silver Hyundai, crashed into a park and hit two trees near the Glen Gazebo. Authorities did not provide further details on the crash.
The active police investigation closed Bloomfield Avenue between Ridgewood and Hillside avenues on Tuesday morning.
Story continues below gallery
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office was at the scene as police directed traffic at Ridgewood and Bloomfield avenues in the heart of the town by the municipal building, library, elementary school and Police Department. The area closed by police is in front of a steep embankment in the park.
Commuters will not have access to the Glen Ridge train station, police alerted.
The crash happened not far from the site of one in 2018 that left two people dead. The 2018 crash also started as a pursuit, initiated by Montclair police.
The state changed its guidelines on police pursuits on April 29, allowing cops once again to chase suspected car thieves, after previously being allowed to engage only to prevent death or serious injury. That policy was introduced in December 2021.
The intersection and Bloomfield Avenue mark the main area of activity in normally quiet Glen Ridge, an affluent borough with fewer than 8,000 residents. Mike Lucci, a Glen Ridge resident of four years, said although Bloomfield Avenue is busy in the area, he rarely sees any crashes.
“It’s kind of shocking,” Lucci said, noting that most times when he sees police officers in the area they’re only helping kids cross the street.
Mickey Dobesh, who has worked in town for seven years, said the location can be hectic when the nearby elementary and high schools let out but otherwise it’s a calm town. Dobesh came to around 5 a.m. and saw the active police investigation.
“You had to be going pretty fast to go down like that,” Dobesh said.
Check back for more on this developing story.
Joshua Jongsma is a breaking news editor for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all the major news happening in North Jersey, subscribe here. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
NEW JERSEY, CD-11 – SEAL PAC, a nationally recognized conservative veteran organization that works to elect more veterans to office to strengthen our country, protect the constitution and defend the American Dream, formally endorsed Toby Anderson, the ‘America First Veteran’, for Congress in NJ’s 11th Congressional District.
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ABOUT: Toby Anderson is a conservative small business owner, Iraq War Veteran, husband, and father to three young children. Toby is running for Congress with the ‘America First Veteran’ slogan to restore parental rights, control Inflation and to put an end to the leftist policies and cancel culture supported by the Biden-Pelosi-Sherrill agenda. In Congress, Toby will fight for the conservative principles of freedom and individual responsibility. Toby believes that the outsized reach of government into every facet of our lives, including our rights as parents, our businesses and our wallets has grown out of control, and it needs to STOP. He’s ready to continue his long service to our nation in this next capacity. Learn more at: tobyforcongress.com
GLEN RIDGE — The Attorney General’s Office said Montclair police attempted to stop a car Tuesday morning before it went off the road and hit a tree, killing the driver and one of two passengers.
Officers in a marked vehicle with its lights on followed the vehicle on Bloomfield Avenue into Glen Ridge at around 4:30 a.m. in connection with a “criminal investigation,” according to officials.
The driver of the silver Hyundai did not stop for the officers and went off Bloomfield Avenue into a wooded area at the intersection with Ridgewood Avenue.
The driver and a male passenger were male, officials said. A third person in the Hyundai remained hospitalized on Wednesday.
Car involved with police pursuit after crashing in Glen Ridge 5/10/22
Car involved with police pursuit after crashing in Glen Ridge 5/10/22 (CBS New York via YouTube)
Robbery of a home in Montclair
An unnamed law enforcement source told NBC 4 New York that an armed robbery at a house on Carey Court in Montclair may have led to the crash. The residents reported the burglary to police.
The source told NBC 4 New York a large amount of cash and a handgun were found in the heavily damaged Hyundai.
The Attorney General’s Office is leading the investigation per a directive requiring the office to investigate any death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer while they are on duty or while the deceased is in custody.
We’re coming up on another summer at the Jersey Shore! Before you get lost in the excitement of sunny days on the sand, we’re running down how much seasonal/weekly/daily beach tags will cost you, and the pre-season deals you can still take advantage of!
NJ county fairs make a comeback: Check out the schedule for 2022
UPDATED 4/10: A current list of county fairs happening across the Garden State for 2022. From rides, food, animals, and hot air balloons, each county fair has something unique to offer.
(Fairs are listed in geographical order from South NJ to North NJ)
School aid for all New Jersey districts for 2022-23
The state Department of Education announced district-level school aid figures for the 2022-23 school year on Thursday, March 10, 2022. They’re listed below, alphabetically by county. For additional details from the NJDOE, including specific categories of aid, click here.
A teacher’s aide at an elementary school in Newark was charged Tuesday with assaulting a 7-year-old child with autism last month, authorities said.
Corey D. Foushee, 33, an aide at Quitman Street Community School, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, according to a spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Foushee was charged the same day NJ Advance Media reported that the child’s mother intended to sue the Newark Board of Education. A police report from Newark indicates the department investigated the incident when it occurred on April 13 and referred it to the prosecutor’s office.
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New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster was murdered by three members of the Black Liberation Army on May 2, 1973.
(AP Photo/Tim Larsen, File)
(AP Photo/Tim Larsen, File)
The domestic terrorists who carried out the act have been the subject of continued controversy over the decades. Although one was shot dead at the scene, two were apprehended and tried for murder.
Both Joanne Chesimard and the man cops say pulled the trigger, Clark Edward Squire, were sentenced to life.
Chesimard escaped and is still a fugitive at large in Cuba.
Joanne Chesimard wanted poster. Courtesy New Jersey State Police
Joanne Chesimard wanted poster. Courtesy New Jersey State Police
Squire was denied parole in 2011 but an NJ superior court overruled the board in 2014.
Sundiata Acoli via sundiataacoli.org
Sundiata Acoli, who changed his name from Clark Edward Squire. (via sundiataacoli.org)
Fast forward to 2022 and the NJ Supreme Court has ruled in favor of releasing the cop killer.
To say it’s a miscarriage of justice is an understatement. This is a slap in the face of all the officers and families of law enforcement. Pat Colligan, the president of the New Jersey State Policeman’s Benevolent Association, tweeted his disappointment and disgust with the judiciary:
For his part, this decision was so wrong-headed that the governor actually tweeted his disappointment. BUT, before giving this governor any credit for his response, let’s not forget it was Phil Murphy who marched in defiance of his own lockdown orders with anti-cop Black Lives Matter.
Governor, First Lady and Josh Murphy join BLM protest in Hillside, New Jersey on Sunday, June 7, 2020 (Edwin J. Torres / NJ Governor’s Office)
Governor, First Lady and Josh Murphy join BLM protest in Hillside, New Jersey on Sunday, June 7, 2020 (Edwin J. Torres / NJ Governor’s Office)
It was Phil Murphy who oversaw the defiance of federal detainer orders leading to the release of violent suspects. It was Murphy who directed the release of thousands of convicted criminals into your neighborhood in the name of “COVID safety.”
Now he tweets his support of cops? Too little too late. Clearly a move to hold onto the cop union support that he’ll seek when he runs for president.
The hypocrisy should not be tolerated. Hopefully, cops across New Jersey and America realize that given the policy decisions and the company that leading Democratic politicians keep, it’s pretty obvious that the Democratic Party does not represent the best interests of our law enforcement heroes.
As I mentioned on the show, I do favor the death penalty for cop killers. That said, I explained to caller Harry who challenged me on whether cops who kill innocent people should face the same fate. My answer was clear, the narrative of reckless cops out there gunning people down is false.
As a matter of fact, most people killed by cops are armed and threatening. I did say to Harry that anyone who specifically targets and kills an innocent human whether they are a cop, teacher, firefighter, or average person should face the same justice.
The bottom line is that we need to protect our law enforcement so they can do the job of protecting our communities. It’s time to get tough on those individuals and groups who target police and disparage the job they do every day. There is certainly a difference between targeting and killing a cop and a cop who dies in the line of duty resulting from mitigating circumstances like a car crash or out-of-control domestic violence situation or drug abuse.
Trooper Williams Funeral
(New Jersey State Police)
Enough of the politicians being soft on crime and easy on known criminals. The governor’s rhetoric is arguable the most offensive thing we’ve heard as it flies in the face of his ACTIONS over the past few years.
Time to sack all the politicians whose words and actions have jeopardized the lives and safety of Law Enforcement Officers.
Clark Squire should stay in prison and future domestic terrorists and cop killers should face the ultimate Earthly penalty.
Linden Councilwoman Gretchen Hickey weighed in with a story of a man who shot her police officer father being released from prison. Her story really struck a chord about families and communities living in the fear that cop killers will be released due to the politics and activism of our current judges in New Jersey.
The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill’s own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.
LOOK: States With the Most New Small Businesses Per Capita
Every NJ city and town’s municipal tax bill, ranked
A little less than 30 cents of every $1 in property taxes charged in New Jersey support municipal services provided by cities, towns, townships, boroughs and villages. Statewide, the average municipal-only tax bill in 2021 was $2,725, but that varied widely from more than $13,000 in Tavistock to nothing in three townships. In addition to $9.22 billion in municipal purpose taxes, special taxing districts that in some places provide municipal services such as fire protection, garbage collection or economic development levied $323.8 million in 2021.
Police in Jackson Township is investigating a vehicle theft and a home burglary that occurred at the same address on Tuesday morning.
As it turned out, there were two vehicle thefts being investigated in the township.
Jackson Police said that Closter Township Police up in Bergen County reached out to them around 8:45 am saying that there was a green 2022 BMW M4 stolen and the owner of the vehicle had tracked it to Jackson.
Police in this Ocean County town then investigated the report and searched for the vehicle they learned was reported to be near Woodstock Court and Huntington Drive.
When officers got there though, there was no vehicle.
The investigation continued though and as it did, police received another call about 11-minutes later where they learned that a 2020 Audi Q8 — worth about $80,000 — was stolen from outside of a residence on Bridgewater Court near Brewers Bridge Road.
Police then went to Bridgewater Court and spoke with a neighbor who told them that they saw the green BMW, which officers started the morning looking for, casually driving through their neighborhood before stopping at their neighbor’s house.
The suspects entered the woman’s open garage, went into the home via an unlocked interior door, and made their way into the kitchen, according to police.
Once inside, the suspects tossed through kitchen drawers and then left stealing the homeowner’s purse which had her wallet, credit cards, cash, and a debit card inside of it.
The suspects then stole the key fob for the Audi Q8 and drove off in it, along with the stolen BMW.
Jackson Police said that the BMW was later found and recovered in Newark, however, the Audi Q8 has not yet been found.
If you have any information to help Jackson Police, call police headquarters at 732-928-1111.
Police in Jackson Township is investigating a vehicle theft and a home burglary that occurred at the same address on Tuesday morning.
As it turned out, there were two vehicle thefts being investigated in the township.
Jackson Police said that Closter Township Police up in Bergen County reached out to them around 8:45 am saying that there was a green 2022 BMW M4 stolen and the owner of the vehicle had tracked it to Jackson.
Police in this Ocean County town then investigated the report and searched for the vehicle they learned was reported to be near Woodstock Court and Huntington Drive.
When officers got there though, there was no vehicle.
The investigation continued though and as it did, police received another call about 11-minutes later where they learned that a 2020 Audi Q8 — worth about $80,000 — was stolen from outside of a residence on Bridgewater Court near Brewers Bridge Road.
Police then went to Bridgewater Court and spoke with a neighbor who told them that they saw the green BMW, which officers started the morning looking for, casually driving through their neighborhood before stopping at their neighbor’s house.
The suspects entered the woman’s open garage, went into the home via an unlocked interior door, and made their way into the kitchen, according to police.
Once inside, the suspects tossed through kitchen drawers and then left stealing the homeowner’s purse which had her wallet, credit cards, cash, and a debit card inside of it.
The suspects then stole the key fob for the Audi Q8 and drove off in it, along with the stolen BMW.
Jackson Police said that the BMW was later found and recovered in Newark, however, the Audi Q8 has not yet been found.
If you have any information to help Jackson Police, call police headquarters at 732-928-1111.
Lawmakers in the New Jersey Senate have advanced a bill that would require free menstrual products be provided in all school bathrooms for students in grades 6 through 12.
That presumably includes boys’ bathrooms.
Supporters of the bill (S1221) claim it addresses so-called “period poverty.” Assem. Gabriela Mosquera (D-Gloucester), the bill’s main sponsor, says students from low-income families often struggle to access proper menstrual products. “No student should have to worry about affording these basic necessities,” Mosquera said in a statement.
The bill advanced out of the Senate Education Committee on a 3-2 party line vote.
This bill requires school districts to ensure that students in each school educating students in grades 6 through 12, or any combination thereof, have direct access to feminine hygiene products in all of the school bathrooms free of charge. Any costs incurred by a school district in complying with the provisions of this bill will be borne by the State. For purposes of this bill, “feminine hygiene products” mean tampons and sanitary napkins. – Bill statement for S1221
Senator Mike Doherty (R-Warren) attempted to have the bill amended to require feminine hygiene products be placed only in girls’ bathrooms, but Democrats on the committee rejected his proposal.
“It would be completely and utterly ridiculous to force NJ schools to make tampons and sanitary napkins available in boys’ bathrooms,” Doherty wrote on Twitter, “It’s absolutely nuts that nobody could tell us in committee today if the proposed bill applies only to girls’ bathrooms.”
At the hearing, some suggested placing tampons and sanitary napkins in boys’ bathrooms is asking for trouble and vandalism. The products could be sued to harass female students or used to clog toilets.
Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer) voted to release the bill from committee, but said she would not support it in the full senate unless language was changed to require menstrual products only in girls’ bathrooms.
While the bill also requires the state to pay the cost of providing menstrual products, there has been no estimate of what that cost might be.
We’re coming up on another summer at the Jersey Shore! Before you get lost in the excitement of sunny days on the sand, we’re running down how much seasonal/weekly/daily beach tags will cost you, and the pre-season deals you can still take advantage of!
School aid for all New Jersey districts for 2022-23
The state Department of Education announced district-level school aid figures for the 2022-23 school year on Thursday, March 10, 2022. They’re listed below, alphabetically by county. For additional details from the NJDOE, including specific categories of aid, click here.
New Jersey’s license plate designs through the years
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Police have made two arrests in connection with the slaying of a New York City resident found dead from a gunshot wound at Eagle Rock Reservation in New Jersey earlier this year, authorities announced Wednesday.
Several hikers discovered the body of Kelsey Steels, 31, of the Bronx, on March 4 at the reservation, near the border of West Orange and Montclair. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:16 p.m., according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Michael Verdel, 71, also of the Bronx, and Posley Sulaiman, 31, of Detroit, Michigan, have been charged with several offenses – including murder – in connection with Steels’ death, prosecutors said.
“It is alleged that Sulaiman and Verdel met Steels at Verdel’s apartment in the Bronx, then brought him to New Jersey, where he was shot at Eagle Rock reservation,” prosecutors stated.
Verdel was taken into custody in New York and has been extradited to New Jersey. He has been charged with murder, felony murder, conspiracy and robbery – all first-degree offenses. He is also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose – both second degree crimes. A detention hearing is scheduled for May 16, prosecutors said.
Sulaiman remains in custody in New York at Rikers Island on a gun charge in that state, where he was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday, prosecutors said. In New Jersey, Sulaiman has been charged with murder, felony murder, conspiracy and robbery – all first-degree offenses. He has also been charged with two weapons offenses: unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
A police investigation is ongoing. Prosecutors said anyone with information can contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Police have made two arrests in connection with the slaying of a New York City resident found dead from a gunshot wound at Eagle Rock Reservation in New Jersey earlier this year, authorities announced Wednesday.
Several hikers discovered the body of Kelsey Steels, 31, of the Bronx, on March 4 at the reservation, near the border of West Orange and Montclair. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:16 p.m., according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Michael Verdel, 71, also of the Bronx, and Posley Sulaiman, 31, of Detroit, Michigan, have been charged with several offenses – including murder – in connection with Steels’ death, prosecutors said.
“It is alleged that Sulaiman and Verdel met Steels at Verdel’s apartment in the Bronx, then brought him to New Jersey, where he was shot at Eagle Rock reservation,” prosecutors stated.
Verdel was taken into custody in New York and has been extradited to New Jersey. He has been charged with murder, felony murder, conspiracy and robbery – all first-degree offenses. He is also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose – both second degree crimes. A detention hearing is scheduled for May 16, prosecutors said.
Sulaiman remains in custody in New York at Rikers Island on a gun charge in that state, where he was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday, prosecutors said. In New Jersey, Sulaiman has been charged with murder, felony murder, conspiracy and robbery – all first-degree offenses. He has also been charged with two weapons offenses: unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
A police investigation is ongoing. Prosecutors said anyone with information can contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.
