Lakewood, NJ
Police & Fire
Toms River Man Indicted For Racist, Homophobic Slurs: Prosecutor Toms River Man Indicted For Racist, Homophobic Slurs: Prosecutor
Toms River Man Indicted For Racist, Homophobic Slurs: Prosecutor A 55-year-old Toms River man has been indicted for making racial and homophobic slurs before smashing a neighbor's car window, authorities said. Patrick Pennell was indicted by a grand jury on charges of bias intimidation and criminal mischief, in connection with the incident, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. On Nov. 22, 2022, Officers from the Toms River Township Police responded to a residence on Parisian Drive for a report of a disturbance. Responding Officers discovered a vehicle with a shattered driver’s side window parked in the driveway …

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by Jon Craig
Paterson, NJ
Police & Fire
Assailant Who Stabbed Man, Slashed Woman In Paterson Made Anti-Gay Slurs: Authorities (UPDATE) Assailant Who Stabbed Man, Slashed Woman In Paterson Made Anti-Gay Slurs: Authorities (UPDATE)
Assailant Who Stabbed Man, Slashed Woman In Paterson Made Anti-Gay Slurs: Authorities (Update) UPDATE: An assailant who stabbed a man and slashed a woman overnight in Paterson made several anti-gay slurs, authorities said. Damian Padilla, 42, was captured by Passaic County sheriff’s officers moments after a 35-year-old victim flagged down city police and told them he’d been stabbed on Fair Street shortly before 4 a.m. Tuesday, May 16. Also assaulted was a 41-year-old woman found around the corner with a slash wound on her left leg, responders said. Both victims were treated at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police De…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Police & Fire
One Stabbed, One Slashed In Paterson By Anti-Gay Assailant, Authorities Say One Stabbed, One Slashed In Paterson By Anti-Gay Assailant, Authorities Say
One Stabbed, One Slashed In Paterson By Anti-Gay Assailant, Authorities Say UPDATE: A man who stabbed one person and slashed another overnight in Paterson made several anti-gay slurs, authorities said. Damian Padilla, 42, was captured by Passaic County sheriff’s officers moments after a 35-year-old victim flagged down city police and told them he’d been stabbed on Fair Street shortly before 4 a.m. Tuesday, May 16. Also assaulted was a 41-year-old woman found around the corner with a slash wound on her left leg, responders said. Both victims were treated at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Depa…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Edison, NJ
Police & Fire
Man Sent Racist Email To Central Jersey Councilwoman: Prosecutor Man Sent Racist Email To Central Jersey Councilwoman: Prosecutor
Man Sent Racist Email To Central Jersey Councilwoman: Prosecutor A man from Middlesex County has been sentenced to six months in the county jail for sending a racist email to a councilwoman, authorities said. Adam Valvo, 54, of Old Bridge Township, has been sentenced for bias intimidation, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone. Authorities learned a racist email had been sent to former Old Bridge Township Councilperson Edina Brown on March 7, 2021. Following a joint investigation, the anonymous sender was identified as Valvo, Ciccone said. The email contained profanities and racial slurs, Ciccone said. O…

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by Jon Craig
Paterson, NJ
News
Bias Intimidation: Clifton Man Charged With Smearing Feces On School Sign Bias Intimidation: Clifton Man Charged With Smearing Feces On School Sign
Bias Intimidation: Clifton Man Charged With Smearing Feces On School Sign A Clifton man was charged with bias intimidation on Friday for smearing feces on a sign at a Paterson elementary school earlier in the week, authorities announced. Mohamad Bekheet, 32, struck in the early morning hours on Monday, April 10, at a pre-K-through-8th grade school named for the late Dr. Hani Awadallah, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said. Platkin said Bekheet smeared feces over the last five letters of the name of the local educator and advocate for Arab Americans and Palestinians – or “Allah,” which means “God.” He was charged by the state Division of Criminal J…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Fort Lee, NJ
News
Knife-Wielding Sex Offender Utters Racial Slurs Against Asian Man In Fort Lee: Authorities Knife-Wielding Sex Offender Utters Racial Slurs Against Asian Man In Fort Lee: Authorities
Knife-Wielding Sex Offender Utters Racial Slurs Against Asian Man In Fort Lee: Authorities A registered sex offender from out of state was jailed after pulling a knife and uttering racial slurs against an Asian man during a dispute at a Fort Lee shopping center, authorities said. Responding officers arrested Brett Epps, 47, of Mansfield, Ohio, after speaking with him, the alleged victim and others at Whiteman Park Plaza on Lemoine Avenue shortly after 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, Capt. Edward Young said. Police seized the weapon, brought Epps to headquarters and charged him with aggravated assault, four counts of bias intimidation, making terroristic threats and illegal weapons p…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Cherry Hill, NJ
News
Suspect Vandalized Multiple Churches In South Jersey: Police Suspect Vandalized Multiple Churches In South Jersey: Police
Suspect Vandalized Multiple Churches In South Jersey: Police Police in Camden County arrested a 40-year-old man for vandalizing churches in two counties, authorities said. Peter A. Sirolli, 40, of Deptford, was charged with arson, criminal mischief, bias intimidation, desecration of a sacred object and other charges in three municipalities, police and the Camden County prosecutor said. Gloucester Township police said a witness saw the suspect throw a rock at Holy Child Parish, St. Teresa's Church located at 13 E. Evesham Road in Runnemede. The suspect then left in a white 2021 Toyota pickup truck. The witness followed the suspect in his vehicle …

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by Jon Craig
Paterson, NJ
News
'Go Back Where You Came From': Clifton Man, 71, Accused Of Bias Intimidation Against Neighbor 'Go Back Where You Came From': Clifton Man, 71, Accused Of Bias Intimidation Against Neighbor
'Go Back Where You Came From': Clifton Man, 71, Accused Of Bias Intimidation Against Neighbor Authorities on Wednesday charged a 71-year-old Clifton man with bias intimidation for allegedly using racial slurs against a female neighbor. Antonio Delevante also was charged with harassment in connection with what authorities said was an Aug. 24 incident in the area of Graham Place and Atkins Court in Clifton. The 51-year-old victim told responding officers that a male neighbor “approached her in a harassing manner using racial slurs and told her to go back from where she came from,” Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi said in a joint relea…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Villas-Lower Township, NJ
Police & Fire
Police ID Woman Responsible For Suspected South Jersey Bias Incident, No Charges Filed Police ID Woman Responsible For Suspected South Jersey Bias Incident, No Charges Filed
Police ID Woman Responsible For Suspected South Jersey Bias Incident, No Charges Filed Authorities have identified the woman responsible for a suspected bias intimidation incident involving a congressional candidate. They said the 36-year-old female, who suffers from behavioral health issues, was caught on a surveillance camera hanging dolls from a tree near a political sign for Tim Alexander. The incident occurred in the Rio Grande section of Middle Township on Nov. 8, according to Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland and Chief Christopher Leusner of the Middle Township Police Department. According to family members, the woman is suffering from be…

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by Jon Craig
Lakewood, NJ
News
Jersey Shore Man Terrorizes Amazon Driver, Prosecutor Says Jersey Shore Man Terrorizes Amazon Driver, Prosecutor Says
Jersey Shore Man Terrorizes Amazon Driver, Prosecutor Says A 62-year-old Jersey Shore man has been charged with terrorizing an Amazon driver, authorities said. John Vincentini, of Lacey Township, was driving in Lacey Township and followed an Amazon delivery driver into a cul-de-sac as the driver was making deliveries on Sept. 5, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. Vincentini parked his vehicle in such a way as to block the Amazon driver’s vehicle and proceeded to confront the driver, asking him why he was in his neighborhood, authorities said. He further inquired as to whether the driver understood that it was …

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by Jon Craig
North Hunterdon, NJ
Police & Fire
BUSTED: Frenchtown Man, 30, Charged After Stealing Seven LGBTQ+ Pride Flags, Prosecutor Says BUSTED: Frenchtown Man, 30, Charged After Stealing Seven LGBTQ+ Pride Flags, Prosecutor Says
Busted: Frenchtown Man, 30, Charged After Stealing Seven LGBTQ+ Pride Flags, Prosecutor Says A 30-year-old Frenchtown man was identified and charged after stealing seven LGBTQ+ pride flags, authorities said. Officers responding to a report of several pride flags found in the Delaware River on Sunday, Aug. 28 led to the discovery of surveillance footage depicting Justin T. Settembrino committing the theft the previous night, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson said. Settembrino stole seven flags from the Bridge Street area, according to a post on the borough's Facebook page. IMPORTANT UPDATE -- Pride Flag Theft On Sunday night, August 28, in response to thefts that oc…

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by Valerie Musson
Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Police & Fire
Man Who Allegedly Threatened To Kill Pleasantville Public Works Crew Arrested Man Who Allegedly Threatened To Kill Pleasantville Public Works Crew Arrested
Man Who Allegedly Threatened To Kill Pleasantville Public Works Crew Arrested A 45-year-old man from Galloway has been arrested for threatening to kill public works employees in Pleasantville, authorities said. Brain Scherer was charged on Tuesday, Aug. 30 with making terroristic threats and bias intimidation. On Aug. 2 at approximately 9:30 a.m, Pleasantville police responded to the 100 Block of North Main Street for a report of harassment. Pleasantville Public Works employees were working in the area. An unknown man driving south on Main Street stopped his vehicle where Pleasantville Public Works were working and began to threaten to kill them while using…

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by Jon Craig