Latest news with #NewJerseyStatePolice
Miami Herald
14-07-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Good Samaritans help rescue five from ‘swamped' boat off NJ coast, officials say
Five people were rescued from a 'swamped' boat off the New Jersey coast when Good Samaritans stepped in to help, officials said. The boaters were found sitting on top of the hull of their vessel as it took on water about 3 miles east from Elberon, about a 50-mile drive south from New York City, the U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic said in a July 14 Facebook post. A good Samaritan brought one of the boaters onto their vessel, and another good Samaritan on a different vessel helped rescue the other four before the Coast Guard sent a small crew out, officials said. Then, the crew and a New Jersey State Police boat brought all five people back to shore, according to officials. 'When it comes to search and rescue teamwork is key,' the Coast Guard said in the post.
Miami Herald
14-07-2025
- Miami Herald
DNA cracks 2011 cold case killing that involved sex for money, NJ officials say
More than a decade after a man was fatally stabbed inside an abandoned home, DNA has led to a break in his case, New Jersey prosecutors say. Kenyar Hill, 46, was charged with first-degree murder in the 2011 slaying of Brian Holden, 42, of Camden, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said in a July 10 news release. An attorney representing Hill did not immediately respond to McClatchy News' request for comment on July 14. Camden City police responded to a report of a stabbing at an abandoned Camden home just before 10 p.m. on Oct. 11, 2011, prosecutors said. When first responders arrived, they found Holden 'lying in the front room' with multiple stab wounds, prosecutors said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, prosecutors said. While investigating his death, detectives spoke with Holden's girlfriend, according to prosecutors. She told detectives she met with a man earlier in the evening and 'agreed to have sexual intercourse with him for money,' prosecutors said. Afterward, she said they started arguing, 'and he took his money back,' prosecutors said. The girlfriend said she yelled for Holden, then he confronted the man, prosecutors said. An altercation ensued and Holden was stabbed multiple times, prosecutors said. The girlfriend underwent 'a sexual assault forensic examination' at a hospital and DNA evidence was collected, prosecutors said. Investigators submitted the evidence to the New Jersey State Police laboratory; however, at the time, there were no hits in the Combined DNA Index System, according to prosecutors. CODIS is 'a computer software program that operates local, state, and national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence, and missing persons,' according to federal prosecutors. Eleven years later, there was a 'high stringency match' in CODIS, identifying Hill as a potential suspect in the 2011 cold case, prosecutors said. To confirm the match, detectives collected a DNA swab from Hill and submitted it for testing, along with the original swabs from the sexual assault kit, prosecutors said. Hill's DNA matched that of the DNA profile from the sexual assault examination, according to prosecutors. 'After receiving the DNA results, detectives continued to follow up on the investigation, including locating witnesses from more than a decade ago,' prosecutors said. This led detectives to identify Hill as a suspect in Holden's death, prosecutors said, adding that he was arrested June 27. Camden is about a 5-mile drive east from Center City Philadelphia.
Newsweek
04-07-2025
- Climate
- Newsweek
New Jersey Governor Responds to Severe Storm That Killed 3
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Governor Phil Murphy responded Thursday night to a deadly line of severe thunderstorms that tore through Central New Jersey, killing three people and leaving tens of thousands without power. The storm caused widespread damage in towns including Plainfield, North Plainfield, Bound Brook, and Dunellen. In a statement posted on X, Murphy urged residents to stay indoors and avoid downed trees, power lines, and burning transformers. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy speaks before signing an executive order for a new clemency program that will pardon thousands of people as Newark and the nation celebrates Juneteenth on June 19, 2024 in Newark,... New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy speaks before signing an executive order for a new clemency program that will pardon thousands of people as Newark and the nation celebrates Juneteenth on June 19, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. MoreThe Context The storm struck just ahead of the July 4 holiday, disrupting celebrations and underscoring the vulnerability of infrastructure to increasingly intense weather events. With power outages affecting over 45,000 residents and emergency services stretched thin, the storm has renewed calls for investment in climate resilience and disaster preparedness. What to Know Three people were killed during the storm: one in North Plainfield and two in Plainfield. One victim, a woman from Middlesex County, died when a massive tree fell on her car during the storm, according to North Plainfield Mayor Lawrence La Ronde. Plainfield Mayor Adrian O. Mapp declared a state of emergency, citing downed trees, power lines, and structural damage. In one case, a tree sliced through the roof of a home office where a resident would have been working had she not taken the day off. I have been briefed on the severe thunderstorm and heavy winds that hit Central Jersey this evening and resulted in fatalities. The towns of Plainfield, North Plainfield, Bound Brook, and Dunellen sustained damage, among others. If you're in the area, please stay inside and... — Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) July 4, 2025 At the storm's peak, over 45,000 customers were without power across Middlesex, Union, and Somerset counties. NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line was suspended between Plainfield and Bound Brook due to fallen trees on the tracks. Governor Murphy said the state is coordinating with local mayors and agencies, including New Jersey State Police (NJSP), ReadyNJ, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), and NJ Transit, to support recovery efforts. Cleanup crews are working to restore power and clear debris, but full recovery may take several days. The National Weather Service had issued severe thunderstorm warnings for much of the region, and by Friday morning, over 11 million people remained under storm alerts. Officials say cleanup and power restoration could take several days. What People Are Saying New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, in a statement on X: "I have been briefed on the severe thunderstorm and heavy winds that hit Central Jersey this evening and resulted in fatalities. The towns of Plainfield, North Plainfield, Bound Brook, and Dunellen sustained damage, among others. "If you're in the area, please stay inside and avoid any downed trees, power lines, or burning transformers. "We are in close touch with local mayors and emergency response officials to provide support through @NJSP, @ReadyNJ, @NJBPU, @NewJerseyDOT, and @NJTRANSIT. Middlesex County, New Jersey woman, Michelle Smith, to Eyewitness News: "I saw the tree on the car and I realized, the whole sidewalk had come up. It was very chaotic a lot of people were trying to look inside the car, the car lights were still on and after some time we realized with the conditions of the storm and the size of that tree that most likely the person had been deceased." Plainfield, New Jersey Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, in a statement posted on Facebook: "The devastating storm that struck our city has left deep scars, widespread damage, and thousands still without power. In light of this tragedy, we cannot, in good conscience, proceed with our Fourth of July parade, concert, or fireworks. "This is not a time for celebration. It is a time to regroup and focus all our energy on recovery. Our emergency personnel, police, fire, DPW, and others are fully engaged in responding to this crisis. Their work and the safety of our residents must come first." What Happens Next State and local officials will continue to assess damage and restore essential services in the affected areas. Investigations into the storm's impact are ongoing, and Fourth of July events in several towns have been canceled or postponed. Governor Murphy is expected to provide further updates as recovery efforts progress.
Telegraph
20-06-2025
- Climate
- Telegraph
I visited the World Cup final venue in New York... it is dull and dangerously hot
It is 10.45am at the MetLife Stadium, but it is already dangerously hot. It is 32C in the shade and some fans are feeling it as they walk. Two New Jersey state police officers are sitting in a gazebo outside the vast steel perimeter of what will be the venue for next year's World Cup final. Directly behind them is a large air conditioning unit – pumping chill air out into the open as the searing heat bounces off the tarmac and concrete that stretches out across the vast surrounding car parks and into the rest of the Meadowlands sports complex beyond. The officers are happy, but environmentally, it is a disaster. The 10.45am local time may well be at half-time during next year's World Cup final, which takes place in this stadium not in mid-June but on July 19, the absolute height of summer. And so this is what happened when attending a Club World Cup group game, between the Brazilian club Palmeiras and the Egyptian champions Al-Ahly. It is a story of a fixture that started at midday and was therefore due to finish before 2pm, and eventually ended at 2.52pm because the stands were evacuated due to a severe weather warning, including the small risk of a tornado. Even then, English referee Anthony Taylor should have announced far more than just six minutes of added time. But by then the players had stopped. It is also the story of another half-empty stadium – just 35,179 inside this huge open bowl that holds 82,500 – and of an Uber taxi driver trying to charge $150 (£111.40) in the middle of the afternoon for the tortuously slow eight-mile trip back into central New York. When challenged, he immediately dropped his price to $100 – still a rip-off. And it is the story of an apparently unloved stadium, built just 18 years ago and criticised for its lack of character and atmosphere, where it can take up to two hours to get out of the car park, but which will host the most watched sports event in the world with five billion viewers. First the heat. Fifa will not confirm the kick-off time for next year's final until after the World Cup draw in December. But there is speculation it could be as early as 10am (3pm UK time), although the semi-finals and final of this tournament, also held here, are scheduled for 3pm local time (8pm in the UK). That feels more likely. The humidity on my visit was 60 per cent and that is on the cusp of affecting sports performance, according to experts. At 1.25pm, the game was suspended. Just over an hour had been played when it was announced that everyone in the stands and the players on the pitch had to leave to take shelter inside the stadium because of a potential lightning storm. There was even a small chance of a tornado. A message emblazoned on the giant screens read: 'Your attention please. For your safety, we are going to have everyone leave the seating bowl area and take shelter inside the stadium because of severe weather in the area. Those on the field, please walk calmly to the nearest tunnel, to the West Hall, or the service corridor.' The delay, with Palmeiras 2-0 up, lasted 50 minutes. Many fans of Al-Ahly – there is a large Egyptian diaspora in the United States and New Jersey in particular – simply decided not to return. There was even a delay to the delay as Taylor could not get his communication equipment to work and then we waited for the broadcasters to be ready. Just 14 minutes later there was a drinks break, the second of the game, but interest among fans had dwindled by then and the game petered away. Is this the kind of football Fifa wants? The first drinks stop came after half an hour with players already being draped in wet towels and handed ice packs. When Taylor announced over the PA system that he was rescinding a red card he had wrongly awarded for a tackle, after a VAR check, the sweat was pouring down his shaved head. Weather cannot be controlled but how will such a delay and an apparent dwindling of interest look for next year's World Cup final? Instead of trying to explain what was going on, the officials spent their time trying to stop journalists live-streaming and checking their accreditations. After all, all Fifa content must be protected, even at the price of preventing information being spread. It was not just the players feeling the heat. There is very little shade inside this enormous roofless bowl for the supporters with those at the vertiginous top also having pretty poor views. Small bottles of water were selling for $5 and Bud Light beer at $14. Hot dogs? They were $8.50 and a pretzel $9 – plus tax. Not that the police liked anyone walking around with a water bottle. I was stopped and surrounded by no fewer than eight officers and had to have my bag checked, firstly by a sniffer dog. Fifa will set its own prices – do not expect them to go down – and deliver its own branding for the World Cup, which is partly why it has chosen for the tournament so many bigger American football stadiums, such as this one, the home of the New York Jets and Giants. Only 12 of the 63 games are being played in stadiums specifically designed for 'soccer', with eight of the 12 grounds having capacities of at least 65,000. Four of them will be used at the World Cup, with the MetLife hosting the most games. This competition is a dry run. A very dry run, given the temperature. The Club World Cup game was tough going. It was the third to be played in this stadium already during this tournament with the previous two ending goalless. When a score arrived it was an own goal headed headed in by Al-Ahly striker Wessam Abou Ali before Palmeiras substitute José Manuel López broke away to add a smartly taken second. At that point, an Egyptian journalist in the press box, wearing a red Al-Ahly shirt and who had been shouting throughout the game, unplugged his phone and walked away in disgust. Even the playing surface at the stadium has been criticised. The MetLife pitch with its synthetic grass is notoriously disliked by the NFL players – with 13 serious injuries suffered in the past five years, including famed quarterback Aaron Rodgers tearing his Achilles, so Fifa installed real turf. But players and coaches at this tournament have not been impressed and right up until kick-off, and then at half-time, four large firemen's hoses were dragged on to drench the pitch. It still quickly dried out. Getting to the MetLife is not easy. The stadium is in East Rutherford, right in the middle of Meadowlands, to the west of New York, near to the highways that lead into the city and the main routes around New Jersey. There is simply nothing else nearby and fans are told not to attempt to walk from local hotels. 'It is illegal and dangerous,' they have been warned in one poster. There are plenty of parking spaces for about $50, but how many fans attending the World Cup will have cars? And, it takes up to two hours to get out of the car parks – longer than the actual game unless there is another weather incident. The Meadowlands rail station, right on the doorstep, is open on match days, although fans were being directed instead to buses at the final whistle and it is a slow journey from Secaucus Junction, where they have to change trains to New York Penn Street. The Palmeiras supporters,who had taken over Brooklyn Bridge, were out in force, smuggling in flags and banners far bigger than those permitted by Fifa and trying to create any atmosphere. But this stadium lacks any character. It just feels a bit drab and grey and unsuitable and has been plonked in the middle of nowhere. It is dull, much like the football played here during this tournament so far. Even though ticket prices had been cut to just $38, huge sections of the stadium – three-quarters of the top tier and even more of the middle one – were closed and taken off sale. It will be different for the World Cup and the latter stages of this competition. Demand will be far higher. But that raises more serious questions, with complaints that the walkways out are too narrow for huge crowds to easily disperse. Maybe it will look differently next year when it is kitted out by Fifa, even if it will be hard to transform a stadium which has been compared to an air conditioning unit in the way it looks and the way it feels. Which, of course, is where we started.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Attorneys for N.J. man who hit Johnny Gaudreau wants statements, data tossed, filing says
Motions recently filed by the lawyers of the New Jersey man accused of causing the Aug. 29 fatal crash that killed Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, ask a judge to keep several pieces of evidence out of any future trial. Sean Higgins, 44, is charged with reckless vehicular homicide, involuntary manslaughter and several other charges related to the crash. The June 9 motions filed by Higgins' lawyers, Richard Klineburger and Matthew Portella, ask a judge to suppress a statement Higgins gave to police and data from his airbag control module. The motions were filed a day before Higgins appeared in Salem County Superior Court for a discretionary conference. During the hearing, Judge Michael J. Silvanio gave the defense and prosecution until July 7 to file briefs on the evidence suppression motions and two weeks after that date to respond to the other side's opposing briefs. Additionally, Higgins' lawyers said during the hearing that other legal issues they had discussed with Silvanio and Assistant Prosecutor Michael Mestern previously have been resolved. Higgins is next set to appear in court for a hearing on Aug. 21 at 1:30 p.m. According to court records and prosecutors, Higgins passed two vehicles around 8:20 p.m. on Aug. 29 while on a road in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. The vehicles had slowed down because the Gaudreau brothers were bicycling one in front of the other on the shoulder of the road. Court records say witnesses told New Jersey State Police that Higgins had been driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee aggressively, speeding up and then falling back several times before passing the first vehicle on the left. The second vehicle had moved to the left to give the Gaudreaus additional room, according to court records, when Higgins went around to the right, hitting the cyclists. Court records say Higgins had a blood alcohol level of 0.087 at the time of the crash. He stopped about a quarter mile from the crash scene and admitted to having several beers before and while he was driving, according to court records. Matthew, 29, and Johnny, 31, both died at the scene from their injuries. The brothers had been in town to attend their sister's wedding the next day. During an April 15 hearing, Higgins' attorneys asked the judge to toss the indictment because prosecutors didn't present evidence about the Gaudreau brothers' toxicology reports to the grand jury. Those reports found Johnny had a blood-alcohol level of 0.134, and Matthew's was 0.129, however, New Jersey does not have any law against bicycling while intoxicated. At the April hearing, Assistant Salem County Prosecutor Michael Mestern said neither brother had broken any law and witnesses to the crash were clear that the brothers had not been riding their bikes in any way that would have contributed to the crash. Higgins also did not call 911 and tried to get rid of open and unopened alcoholic beverage containers inside his vehicle, Mestern said. Silvanio sided with prosecutors and allowed the case to move forward. The judge also denied a request from Higgins' legal team to force prosecutors to provide information about plea negotiations in other cases. Silvanio said each case is different, and comparing cases is difficult because of that. Higgins rejected a plea offer in January that would have resulted in a 35-year prison sentence. He continues to be held in the New Jersey jail where he has been housed since his arrest on the night of the crash. Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@ or on Bluesky at @ Breaking and Trending News Reporter Nathan Hart can be reached at NHart@ and at @NathanRHart on X and at on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Johnny Gaudreau crash update: Driver Sean Higgins in court
