Monday, May 14, 2012
One winds up on the train tracks, another on a front lawn.
Each week, Patch takes a peek at some of the more surprising, shocking, stunning and occasionally silly police-related incidents reported throughout New Jersey for "OMGs from NJ PDs." On the Wrong Track: Contrary to popular belief, there is no "wrong side of the tracks." Well, not unless you count the top side. A driver who made a wrong turn wound up on the train tracks paralleling Route 17, leading authorities to shut down New Jersey Transit traffic on the line, according to Hasbrouck Heights Police. It took police about an hour to remove the vehicle from the tracks. We're not sure how long it took onlookers to remove their palms from their faces. Not Quite a Smoking Gun, But Close: You think smoking's bad for you? It's even worse if you'…
Friday, May 11, 2012
The Virginia man stole a woman's purse.
- POLICE & FIRE
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Friday, May 11
A Virginia man was convicted of robbery before a grand jury Thursday, according to a release from the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office. George Bryan, 46, was convicted of second degree robbery in conjunction with a June incident at the Somerset Shopping Center at the Somerville Circle in Bridgewater. According to Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano, Bryan robbed a victim in the parking lot of the center around 12:30 p.m. June 17, 2011. Soriano said the victim had just used an ATM at a bank branch in the shopping center. The defendant, he said, was lingering outside of the bank and watched the victim withdraw money before following her to her car. As the woman stood near her car, Soriano said, Bryan ran at her, and, after a short…
The following arrest information was supplied by the Bridgewater Township Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction.
- POLICE & FIRE
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Friday, May 11
Several people were arrested in the past week for shoplifting from local Bridgewater stores, namely from Home Depot, Macy's and Target. Stephen Devine, 22, of Warren, was arrested for shoplifting at 3:15 p.m. May 5 after he was allegedly found with items from Home Depot in the Bridgewater Promenade for which he had not paid. Devine was found with $82.75 worth of items, and he was charged and released. Ruby Singh, 44, of Green Brook, was charged with shoplifting at 3:25 p.m. May 7 after she was allegedly found with $282 worth of merchandise from Macy's. She was also processed and released. Finally, Nora Birk, 50, of Bridgewater, was charged with shoplifting at 5:19 p.m. May 7 after she was allegedly found with $120 worth of merchandise from…
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Motorist captures video of fire that led to road closures.
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Thursday, May 10
Tuesday night's transformer and utility pole fire in Green Brook was captured by a passing motorist, who shared the video with Patch.
40.58606
-74.50878
King George Rd & Us Highway 22, Green Brook, NJ
/articles/video-transformer-fire-on-route-22
/locations/6984166
Chief Borden reflects on change to ordinance, eliminating three vacant positions.
After having the total number of police officers reduced from 78 to 77 in 2008, the Bridgewater Township Police Department has become accustomed to making due with fewer personnel. And now, after making cuts to the municipal budget to bring the tax rate increase down to 3 percent from 6.5 percent, the council has opted to introduce an ordinance that eliminates another three police positions that are currently vacant. “The positions have not been filled since the initiation of the ordinance, so we have adjusted our schedule to working without the three officers,” Bridgewater Township Police Chief Richard Borden said. According to Borden, the council originally approved an ordinance in September 2008 that allowed for the funding of three …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Lawsuit claims she left through a side door at Brandywine Assisted Living.
King George Road remains closed as crews repair transformers near White Castle.
UPDATE: More than a dozen PSE&G work trucks are at the intersection of Green Brook Road and Route 22, working to replace a burned-up transformer and reconnect a number of power wires currently draping Greenbrook Road at the intersection. The traffic light on Route 22 is still out, but lights at Cramer Road and WarrenvilleRoad that had been out earlier are working. PSE&G is not reporting any outages, but police say residents in the area north of Route 22 are without power. Northbound traffic on Greenbrook Road is being detoured to Greenbrook Road east to Cramer Road for access to Route 22. Original story: A series of transformer fires at Route 22 and King George Road in Green Brook overnight closed the road at times. Green Brook Police said…
40.58606
-74.50878
King George Rd & Us Highway 22, Green Brook, NJ
/articles/transformer-fires-on-route-22-create-driving-challenges
/locations/6974005
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Yuan Li also faces deportation for corporate espionage at Sanofi-Aventis.
The crash occurred on Assante Lane Sunday.
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Tuesday, May 8
A Bridgewater man is in critical, but stable, condition after an ATV accident Sunday that caused the vehicle to roll over onto him on Assante Lane. Gage Savar, 21, was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick after the accident, which occurred Sunday at about 8:30 p.m., according to a release from the Bridgewater Township Police Department. According to police, Savar was driving the all-terrain vehicle, traveling east on Assante Lane. While driving, Savar lost control of the vehicle, and it rolled over and onto him after he was thrown off it, police said. The ATV then came to a rest on its wheels, police said. Savar was treated at the scene by members of the Martinsville Rescue Squad and Somerset Medical …
A township ordinance requires three unfilled police positions to be funded.
As part of the budget amendments to cut funds and lower the tax levy increase to the newly approved 3.03 percent, the township council approved, not unanimously, the introduction of an ordinance to eliminate three vacant police positions. These positions are currently not filled, but, by ordinance, are required to be funded in case they are needed. "At this point, we have three vacant police positions with no reason to fill them, so that includes a significant decrease in the budget," Councilman Howard Norgalis said. "This eliminates the three vacant police positions until such time as we need to readdress them." Norgalis said Bridgewater Township Police Chief Richard Borden would like to have the positions funded in case they are needed, …
Gary
3:02 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Mr. Moench indicates he would rather "hire" than pay overtime due to it's cost effectiveness. Please, help me understand, what the long term liability (aka severence) of a public servant cost the tax payer. I think you will find the guarenteed benefits have a huge net present value well and above the one time hit over time impacts the budge. I would hope as a council member this myopia is not … more ›