Current News
*** Sign up for the Police Department Notification System Here***
Looking for information about Nixle?
Click here to read the Nixle FAQ
1/26/12
On January 24th at 6:00pm, Patrolman Timothy Bradshaw arrested Joann Landi, 30, of Barnegat on $1,250 in outstanding warrants out of Barnegat, Stafford, and Little Egg Harbor townships.
Landi was located inside of her Deck St residence after attempting to hide from officers under a pile of clothing in a bedroom closet.
Once placed under arrest, Landi struggled with officers and was subsequently charged with resisting arrest.
She was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $3,750 bail.
1/25/12
On January 22nd at 11:20pm, officers responded to the area of Route 72 near Pinewood Estates for a report of a vehicle stopped facing west in the eastbound lane of travel. Witnesses reported that the driver was unresponsive with her head against the driver's door window.
Ptl. Michael Diblasi, Ptl. Thomas Behrens, and Ptl. James Purcell arrived on scene and made contact with the driver, Christine Favro, 27, of Cranbury, NJ.
Favro ignored repeated commands to turn her vehicle off and exit the vehicle.
Favro then placed her car in drive and accelerated away from the seen headed west in the eastbound lane, striking Ptl. Behrens in the process.
The officers pursued Favro to the intersection of Route 72 and Route 532 where Favro stopped her vehicle.
Favro again refused repeated orders to turn her vehicle off and exit the vehicle.
Officers extracted Favro from the vehicle and placed her under arrest.
Favro was charged with the following criminal and traffic offenses: 3rd degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, 3rd degree resisting arrest, 4th degree obstructing the administration of
law, DWI, refusal to submit breath samples, reckless driving, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, failure to maintain lane, and
obstructing passage of motor vehicles.
Favro was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $15,000 bail.
Ptl. Behrens was transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center where he was treated and released for a hand injury.
1/18/12
On January 10th at 3:52pm, Ptl. Joseph Stanziano arrested Edward Parkhill, 23, of Barnegat on a $1,057 outstanding warrant out of Ocean Township.
Parkhill was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of bail.
1/10/12
On January 8th at 9:12pm, Ptl. George Martin arrested John Sharpe Jr., 27, of Barnegat for operating a motor vehicle during a period of license suspension for DWI.
The offense (2C:40-26) is a new fourth degree crime which became law in August of 2011. The statute makes it a crime to operate a motor vehicle with a suspended license under certain conditions if the license suspension was issued as a result of a conviction for driving while intoxicated.
Ptl. Martin came into contact with Sharpe Jr. while investigating a suspicious vehicle complaint on Route 9 in the area of Bay Avenue.
Sharpe Jr. was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $5,000 bail.
On December 30th at 10:33pm, Ptl. Alex Hoffman arrested Herbert Wills III, 19, of Barnegat for possession of marijuana under 50 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia after stopping Wills's car for failing to maintain lane of travel in the area of Barnegat Blvd and West Bay Ave.
During the stop, Ptl. Hoffman discovered a quantity of marijuana and a smoking pipe in the vehicle.
Wills III was charged with possession of marijuana under 50 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also issued motor vehicle summonses for possession of CDS in a motor vehicle and failure to maintain lane.
On January 4th at 7:55pm, Ptl. Richard Carr arrested Robert Heimall, 47, of Barnegat for DWI after stopping Heimall's vehicle in connection with an investigation concerning domestic violence.
Heimall was charged with DWI, refusal to submit breath tests, reckless driving, failure to produce documents, and failure to wear seat belt.
1/9/12
Officers responded to a two-car motor vehicle collision at the intersection of Route 72 and Route 532at 4:43pm on January 8th.
A Hyundai Elantra operated by George Nelson, 48, of Manahawkin was traveling east on Route 72 when a Honda Accord operated by Karyn Northerner, 18, of Manahawkin pulled onto Route 72 from Route 532 causing the vehicles to collide.
Northerner, who was not wearing her seat belt, was airlifted to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City by Monoc helicopter with a head injury.
Nelson refused medical attention at the scene.
Northerner was issued summonses for failure to yield the right of way at an intersection and failure to wear a seatbelt.
Please refer all requests concerning Northerner's condition to AtlantiCare.
1/4/12
The Barnegat Police Department is proud to announce that Patrolman Gregory Martinez has received a Top Gun DWI Enforcement Award from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.
Ptl. Martinez received the award for being among the top officers in the state in DWI arrests in 2010, during which he made 20 DWI arrests.
The Barnegat Police Department continues to make the apprehension of drunk drivers an enforcement priority with over 80 DWI arrests per year.
We are proud of Ptl. Martinez and his dedication to keeping the motorists of Barnegat and New Jersey safe.
1/3/12
On December 23rd at 11pm, Ptl. Alex Hoffman arrested Andrew Aurigemman, 21, of Hoboken and Valerie Rodd, 21, of Brooklyn, NY for possession of CDS and possession of marijuana under 50grams.
Ptl. Hoffman stopped Aurigemman's vehicle (which was being operated by Rodd) for a motor vehicle violation on Route 9 near the Pebble Beach Plaza.
A subsequent investigation and search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of a quantity of marijuana as well as Xanax and oxycodone.
Both subjsect were charged with possession of CDS and possession of marijuana under 50 grams and released on their own recognizance.
----------------
On December 24th at 12:05am, Ptl. Brian Weber arrested Eugene Kessler, 32, of Forked River for DWI.
Ptl. Weber stopped Kessler's vehicle on Route 9 near the Pebble Beach Plaza for failing to maintain lane of travel.
Kessler was charged with DWI, reckless driving, failure to submit to breath tests, and failure to maintain lane.
-----------------
On December 30th at 3:340pm, Ptl. Timothy Bradshaw arrested Clifford Quigley, 48, of Barnegat for DWI after responding to a report of a motorcycle accident where the operator left the scene of the accident.
Upon arrival to the location of the crash at Village Dr and Schooner Ave, witnesses advised officers that subjects in a pickup truck assisted the motorcycle operator with loading up the motorcycle and driving away from the scene of the accident.
While checking the area, Ptl. Brian Weber located the pickup truck, damaged motorcycle, and Quigley at a Bayside Ave residence.
Quigley was charged with DWI, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane of travel, leaving the scene of an accident, and failure to report an accident.
12/29/11
On 12/27/11 Ptl. Joseph Stanziano arrested Aimee Lill-Toop, 36, of Barnegat on an outstanding arrest warrant out of Barnegat Twp. in the amount of 500.00. Lill-Toop was processed and released on her own recognizance pending a new court date.
On 12/27/11 Ptl. Nick Dapuzzo arrested Michael Cammarota, 19, of Barnegat on an outstanding arrest warrant out of Barnegat in the amount of 250.00. Cammarota was processed and released after posting bail.
On 12/28/11 Ptl. James O'Hearn arrested Gil Berrios, 56, of Barnegat on an outstanding arrest warrant out of Tinton Falls in the amount 410.00. Berrios was processed and released on his own recognizance pending a new court date.
12/28/11
On 12/27/11 at 12:54am Ptl. Robert Armstrong was patrolling the Pebble Beach Plaza. While he was checking the businesses on foot he entered the WaWa, 550 Rt.9, and observed Sean Collins take a pack of cigarettes from behind the counter and place it in his jacket pocket. Collins, 22, of Barnegat was arrested for shoplifting and during the ensuing search 3 additional packs of unpaid cigarettes were found. Collins was charged with Shoplifting 4 packs of cigarettes, valued at 28.28, and released on a Complaint Summons.
On 12/27/11 Ptl. Anthony King arrested Joseph Palmer, 45, of Barnegat on an outstanding arrest warrant out of Lumberton NJ in the amount of 1,000.00. Palmer was processed and released after posting bail.
12/27/11
On 12/26/11 Ptl. Nick Dapuzzo arrested Aimee Lill-Toop, 36, of Barnegat on an outstanding arrest warrant out of Stafford Twp. in the amount of 680.00. Lill-Toop was processed and released after posting bail.
12/23/11
On 12/21/11 Ptl. Michael DiBlasi arrested Joshua Midili, 24, of Barnegat on an outstanding arrest warrant out of Lacey Twp. in the amount of 500.00. Midili was processed and released after posting full bail.
On 12/21/11 Ptl. Thomas Behrens arrested Kristopher Valentin, 33, of Barnegat on 2 outstanding arrest warrants out of Toms River totaling 500.00 in bail. Valentin was unable to post bail and was turned over to the Toms River Police Department for final disposition.
On 12/16/11 Ptl. Vincent Damiano arrested Jennifer Deworth, 22, of Barnegat on an outstanding arrest warrant out of Ocean Twp., Ocean County, in the amount of 500.00. Deworth was processed and released after posting full bail.
12/16/11
On 12/13/11 members of the department's Investigative Division executed a search warrant at 66 Ravenwood Bl. with the assistance of our K9 unit as well as the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team. During the search of the residence Investigators located quantities of Oxycodone, Suboxone, Marijuana, various miscellaneous prescription medication, and a prohibited weapon. This resulted in the arrest of Vincent Avallone, 29, and Melissa Avaollone, 20. Vincent Avollone was charged with 3rd degree Possession of Oxycodone, 3rd degree Possession of Oxycodone with the Intent to Distribute, 3rd degree Distribution of Oxycodone, and 4th degree Possession of a Prohibited Weapon. Melissa Avallone was charged with 3rd degree Possession of Oxycodone, 3rd degree Possession of Suboxone, and Possession of Marijuana under 50 Grams. Melissa was released on a Complaint Summons while Vincent was lodged in the O.C. Jail on 50,000.00. The search warrant was a result of a one month long investigation into the distribution of Oxycodone from 66 Ravenwood Bl.
12/14/11
On December 13th members of the Barnegat Twp. Police Department's Investigative Division were investigating suspicious activity in the parking lot of WaWa at 945 W. Bay Ave. As officers approached they observed the the driver, Darron Garabo, 23, of Toms River smoking Oxycodone from a piece of foil which led to his arrest. The subsequent search of the vehicle revealed additional quantities of Oxycodone which led to the arrest of the passenger, Peter Kuchen, 42, of Manahawkin as well. Garabo and Kuchen were charged with 3rd degree Possession of Oxycodone and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and released on a Complaint Summons.
12/13/11
On December 8th at approx 5pm, members of the Barnegat Police Department along with the US Marshal's service arrested Jeremy Casper, 33, of Barnegat. Casper was developed as a suspect in three December 1st burglaries that took place in the Settlers Landing development.
Barnegat police Detective William Hetrick discovered that Casper had escaped from a NJ Department of Corrections facility in Yardville where he was serving time for burglary.
Casper was located by members of the Barnegat Police Department and US Marshal's service at a Freedom Hills Drive residence where he was taken into custody. He was returned to the Yardville facility.
Casper is accused of stealing over $1,700 cash and jewelry from the three residences.
On December 13th, Detective Hetrick charged Casper with three counts of 3rd degree burglary, three counts of 3rd degree theft, and a count of criminal mischief.
12/6/11
On November 30th at 2:33pm, Ptl. Lauren Keilitz arrested Steven Hilscher, 27, of Barnegat on an outstanding $5,000 warrant.
Hilscher was wanted for committing an assault during a domestic violence incident.
Hilscher was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of bail.
On November 29th at 9:41pm, Ptl. Thomas Behrens arrested Peter Leogrande, 18, of Barnegat for shoplifting.
Leogrande was located by officers on Bayshore Dr. after Wawa employees reported that he had stolen a food item and fled the Route 9 store.
During the investigation, Leogrande was found to be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Leogrande was charged with shoplifting, possession of marijuana under 50 grams, and possession of drug paraphernalia before being released on his own recognizance.
11/28/11
On November 24th at 2:30 am, Ptl. Robert Armstrong arrested Brian Cahill, 27, of West Creek for DWI after Cahill crossed over the centerline of Route 9 nearly colliding with Ptl. Armstrong's patrol car.
Cahill was charged with DWI, reckless driving, and failure to maintain lane.
11/21/11
At a CALEA commissioner's hearing held on November 19, 2011, the Barnegat Police Department was determined to be in full compliance with CALEA's 479 professional standards, becoming the first police department in the history of Ocean County to achieve national Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation.
The decision by the commission capped off a nearly three-year period during which hundreds of agency procedures, rules, and policies were amended and improved in order to meet the best practices and highest professional standards in the country. The assessment period culminated in a rigorous three-day on-site assessment that was conducted by a team of CALEA assesors in August.
The agency began its pursuit in 2009 with a challenge from Chief Arthur Drexler.
"The Chief believed that we had a good agency, but he believed that we could be better. He felt that CALEA could push our agency to a level of efficiency and professionalism that could only come from being assessed and held accountable by an independent, outside expert," said Barnegat Police Lieutenant Keith Germain, who was charged by Drexler with managing the program.
"It was a very challenging process, but I'm a firm believer that you have to prove to the residents that they're receiving a return on their investment," said Chief Drexler. "This assures the residents of Barnegat that every aspect of our agency meets the highest professional standards that exist. Our residents deserve no less."
The bulk of the work to prove compliance was done by the accreditation team of Ptl. Sarah Girgenti and Sgt. Gary Larussa.
Germain pointed out, however, that while Girgenti and Larussa were responsible for ammassing and cataloging the thousands of proofs required to show compliance, it was the hard work and participation of all of the men and women of the agency that made it happen.
"Success with accreditation requires a major commitment from the officers and civilian employees. There were huge demands placed on them with respect to learning and executing new policies and procedures. Without their hard work and dedication, this simply wouldn't have been achievable," Germain said.
In addition to praising the men and women of the Barnegat Police Department, Chief Drexler also praised the commitment from the Township Committee and Township Administrator David Breeden.
"Political support is critical to achieving accreditation, and I'm sure it wasn't always easy during a terrible economy with no guarantee of success. I'm thankful that they believed in us and shared our desire to give the residents of Barnegat the highest-quality public safety possible," said Drexler
Barnegat now joins an elite group of only nine municipal police departments in New Jersey that have earned CALEA national Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation.
_________________________________
CALEA standards address the following major law enforcement areas:
1. Role, responsibility, and relationships
2. Organization, management, and administration
3. Personnel structure
4. Personnel process
5. Operations
6. Operation support
7. Traffic operations
8. Detainee and court-related activities
9. Auxiliary and technical services
The benefits of Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation are:
• Greater accountability within the agency. CALEA standards give the Chief a proven management system of written directives, sound training, clearly defined lines of authority, and routine reports that support decision making and resource allocation.
• Reduced risk and liability exposure
• Reduction in liability insurance premiums and deductibles.
• Stronger defense against civil lawsuits
• Accreditation provides objective evidence of an agency's commitment to excellence in leadership, resource management, and service delivery. Thus, government officials are more confident in the agency's ability to operate efficiently and meet community needs.
• Increased community advocacy. Accreditation embodies the precepts of community oriented policing. It creates a forum in which law enforcement agencies and citizens work together to prevent and control challenges confronting law enforcement and provides clear direction about community expectations.
11/17/11
On 11/15/11 members of the department's Narcotics Unit encountered 3 individuals behaving suspiciously in the area of Burr St. and Railroad Ave. During the ensuing investigation all 3 were found in possession of Heroin. All 3 were arrested and charged with the following:
James Minarik, 32, of Barnegat was charged with 3rd degree Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree Distribution of Heroin, and 3rd degree Possession of Heroin with the Intent to Distribute.
Jon Hammell, 32, of Manahawkin was charged with 3rd degree Possession of Heroin.
Brandon Carroll, 24, of Waretown was charged with 3rd degree Possession of Heroin.
11/10/11
On November 10th at 8:42am, officers responded to a serious motor vehicle collision at the intersection of Route 9 and Bayshore Drive which resulted in two 4-year old children being ejected from an involved vehicle.
A Dodge Caravan operated by Travis McCurdy, 18, of Toms River was headed south on Route 9 when he failed to stop for a red traffic signal at the intersection with Bayshore Drive.
McCurdy's vehicle entered the intersection and collided with a westbound Chevrolet Uplander minivan operated by Monica Villavicencio, 39, of Barnegat.
The force of the collision resulted in Villavicencio's two 4-year old sons being ejected through the rear window of the minivan. The children had been unrestrained in the vehicle.
The children were transported by Quality Medical to Jersey Shore Medical Center with head lacerations.
The children were unable to be airlifted due to the heavy fog conditions.
Neither driver was injured in the collision.
McCurdy was issued a summons for failure to observe a traffic control device.
Villavicencio was issued summonses for unlicensed driver and two counts of failure to use a child restraint.
The accident investigation was conducted by the Barnegat Police Department Traffic Safety Unit with support from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and Ocean County Sheriff's Department.
The children are currently listed in stable condition at Jersey Shore Medical Center.
11/9/11
On October 20th, Detective William Hetrick arrested John Sauer III, 26, of Little Egg Harbor for a burglary and theft that occurred in October of 2010.
The 2010 burglary involved the theft of 100 feet of electrical cord and an electrical box from a home that was under construction on Rosehill Road.
During the initial investigation, detectives were able to recover latent fingerprints at the scene. Those prints were submitted to the FBI's Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS).
In October of this year, the FBI reported a match of the prints, which lead to the arrest of Sauer.
Sauer was charged with 3rd-degree burglary and 4th-degree theft.
11/3/11
On October 28th at 3:37am, Ptl.Michael Diblasi arrested Frederick Schultz IV, 40, of Harrisburg, Oregon for DWI after responding to a one-vehicle motor vehicle accident on Route 72.
Schultz was uninjured, and was issued summonses for DWI, reckless driving, and failure to maintain lane.
On November 1st at 2:43am, Ptl. Nicholas Venuto arrested Brianna Iacovelli, 20, for DWI after stopping her vehicle on Bayshore Drive for failure to use a turn signal and failing to maintain lane of travel.
Iacovelli was issued summonses for DWI, reckless driving, failure to use turn signal, and failure to maintain lane.
11/1/11
On October 30th at 1:00am, Ptl. Alex Hoffman arrested Walter Rutzler Jr., 51, of Barnegat for DWI after stopping Rutzler Jr's vehicle on South Seas Ct for failing to maintain lane of travel and failing to signal a turn.
Rutzler Jr was charged with DWI, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, and failure to signal turn.
He was processed and released.
10/27/11
On October 21st, Ptl. Brian Weber signed 2nd-degree aggravated assault charges against Robert Gunnell Jr., 31, of Barnegat after identifying him as the person responsible for an assault that took place at the Spirit's Unlimited located on Route 9 in Barnegat on October 18th at 8:00pm.
The victim of the assault lost consciousness due to the assault and suffered a fractured orbital bone and broken nose.
A $40,000 warrant has been issued for Gunnell Jr., who has not yet been taken into custody.
10/19/11
On October 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Barnegat Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your medications for disposal to the Barnegat Municipal Court at 900 West Bay Avenue. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last April, Americans turned in 376,593 pounds—188 tons—of prescription drugs at nearly 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
Four days after the first Take-Back event in September 2010, Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an “ultimate user” of controlled substance medications to dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them. The Act also allows the Attorney General to authorize long term care facilities to dispose of their residents’ controlled substances in certain instances. DEA has begun drafting regulations to implement the Act, a process that can take as long as 24 months. Until new regulations are in place, local law enforcement agencies like the Barnegat Police and the DEA will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months.
10/18/11
On October 13th, 2011 Detective Michael Mitchell arrested Dylan Kennedy, 19, and Anthony Siculietano, 19, of Barnegat for burglary, theft, and criminal mischief.
The arrests were in connection with the investigation of the burglary of two Barnegat residences that occurred on October 12th.
Stolen were a refrigerator motor, air conditioning unit, and copper piping from within the walls.
Kennedy and Siculietano were both lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $6,000 and $12,000 bail, respectively.
10/17/11
On October 9th at 9:12pm, Ptl. Robert Armstrong arrested Denise Judge, 56, of Piscataway for DWI after responding to the area of Route 9 and Lowershore Rd in response to a call reporting an intoxicated driver.
Judge was processed and released with summonses for DWI, Reckless Driving, Open Container of Alcohol, and Failure to Exhibit a Driver's License.
10/11/11
On October 7th, a three month long investigation into the distribution of heroin culminated in the arrests of Michael Euston, 32, and Armand Longo, 54, both of Barnegat.
The investigation was conducted by the Barnegat Police Investigative Division with assistance from the Ocean County Prosecutors Office Special Operations Group. The investigation involved the sale of heroin to an undercover police officer.
Both Euston and Longo were charged with possession of heroin, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and distribution of heroin. Euston was additionally charged with possession of marijuana under 50 grams.
Both subjects were lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $30,000 bail.
10/10/11
On October 9th at 5:48pm, officers responded to a one car motor vehicle accident at the former A&P building on Route 9.
A Dodge pickup operated by a 49 year old male Waretown resident struck the building, breaching the wall and partially penetrating the interior of the structure.
Witnesses observed the pickup accelerate across the parking lot and strike the building.
The driver was airlifted to Atlantic City Medical Center by New Jersey State Police medivac helicopter. There were no other occupants in the vehicle and no one else was injured.
The accident is under investigation by the Barnegat Police Department Traffic Safety Unit.
A cause has not yet been determined.
10/6/11
On October 3rd at 10:45pm, Ptl. George Martin arrested Donna Heath, 38, of Waretown for DWI after encountering Heath's vehicle while investigating an unrelated suspicious person call.
Heath was released after being processed with summonses for DWI and reckless driving.
10/4/11
On 10/3 at 5:31pm, officers responded to a serious motor vehicle collision at Route 9 and Georgetown Blvd.
A van operated by Martin Miller, 36, of Manahawkin was traveling southbound on Route 9. An uninvolved vehicle was stopped in the southbound lane waiting to make a left turn. Miller's vehicle passed the uninvolved vehicle on the shoulder before crossing over into the northbound lane and colliding with a northbound box truck operated by Stephen Spinnak, 42, of Bricktown.
Both drivers were extricated from their vehicles by emergency responders.
Route 9 was closed between Gunning River Road and Georgetown Boulevard.
Spinnak was transported to a landing zone at the Elizabeth V Edwards school on Route 9 where he was airlifted by MONOC helicopter to Atlantic City Medical Center with serious injuries.
Miller was transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 6:30pm.
The accident if being investigated by the Barnegat Police Department Traffic Safety Unit and Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Fatal Accident Support Team.
Route 9 is expected to remain closed until at least 9:00pm.
9/29/11
On behalf of Chief Drexler and all of the men and women of the Barnegat Police Department, we wish a long, happy, and healthy retirement to Police Clerk Nancy Maloney, who retired today after nearly 37 years of dedicated service.
Nancy was the longest serving member in the history of the agency and worked for all four Barnegat police chiefs.
Nancy has been an integral part of the agency and will be sorely missed!
9/26/11
On September 25th at 12:12am, Ptl. Thomas Behrens arrested Gerald Binder, 58, of Green Brook, NJ for DWI.
Ptl. Behrens was patrolling Route 72 when he observed Binder driving east on Route 72 at 105 mph as indicated by radar.
Binder was processed and released with summonses for DWI, reckless driving, and speeding.
On September 24th at 4:47pm, Ptl.Timothy Bradshaw arrested William Porter, 46, of Barnegat on $6,566 in outstanding warrants including a$6,056 warrant for failure to pay child support.
Porter was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of bail.
9/22/11
On September 16th at 8:20pm, members of the Barnegat Police Investigative Division arrested Allyson Pierre, 35, of Barnegat on a $110,000 outstanding Burglary and Theft warrant out of Manchester.
The detectives located Pierre behind a residence in the Lexington Blvd area.
Pierre, who also had a $3,500 warrant out of Trenton, was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of bail.
9/20/11
On September 10th at 10:15am, Ptl. Edward Hayes arrested three individuals who were found attempting to steal a vehicle.
Arrested were Robert Erhart Jr, 29, of Tuckerton, David R. Belk, 63, of New Gretna, and Melissa Clevinger, 36, of Tuckerton.
Ptl. Hayes responded to a call at the former Shore Sand and Gravel on West Bay Avenue involving a caller that observed the suspects attempting to load a 1986 Chevrolet pickup onto a trailer. The caller blocked the suspect's vehicle with his own and contacted the police.
Ptl. Hayes was able to determine that the suspects were trespassing on the property and were in the process of loading the Chevrolet pickup onto the trailer.
Erhart Jr and Belk were charged with theft, conspiracy to commit theft, and trespassing and were lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $30,000 bail.
Clevenger was charged with trespassing and released on her own recognizance.
On September 16th at 9:34 am, Ptl. Christopher Steins arrested Anthony Mennicucci, 29, of Toms River for possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, and a $5,000 warrant out of Newark, NJ.
Ptl. Steins had responded to the area of the playground on Georgetown Blvd for a report of a suspicious person.
Ptl. Steins conducted a search for the individual as described by the caller and located Mennicucci hiding inside of a enclosed tubular slide at the park.
Mennicucci was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $7,500 bail.
9/15/11
On September 14th, Detective Maryann Cirulli arrested Mary Romano, 48, of Manahawkin for the August 29th theft of a purse from a Sandpiper Rd home.
Detective Cirulli interviewed Romano after a tip from a Manahawkin resident who read about the theft and saw a police sketch of the suspect in a local newspaper.
During the interview, Romano confessed to the theft and was subsequently arrested and charged with 4th degree theft.
Romano was released pending a court date.
The stolen property was not recovered.
9/12/11
On September 8th at 6:40pm, Ptl. James Purcell arrested Steven Navarro, 44, of Cranford for DWI.
Ptl. Purcell had responded to the area of the Barnegat High School after the department received a report of an intoxicated individual leaving the school in a gold colored Jeep Cherokee.
Ptl. Purcell located the vehicle on Barnegat Blvd and initiated a motor vehicle stop.
Navarro was issued summonses for DWI, reckless driving, unsafe lane change, uninsured motor vehicle, and driving with a suspended license.
Navarro was released pending a court date.
9/8/11
On September 2nd at 7:35pm, Det Michael Mitchell arrested Robert Hyres, 20, of Waretown after Hyre attempted to purchase alcohol at Spirit's Unlimited on Route 9.
Detective Mitchell was working an Alcohol Beverage Control detail targeting the purchase of alcohol by those under the legal age to do so.
Hyre was charged with attempting to purchase alcohol while under the legal age and was released pending a court date.
9/6/11
Several unsecured vehicles were entered in the Ocean Acres area Monday night into Tuesday morning. Please make an effort to lock your vehicles. This simple step is the best way to avoid becoming the victim of a car burglary. In addition, never store valuable electronics such as GPS receivers, cell phones, computers, or cameras in plain view in your vehicle.
This agency is currently investigating a theft from a residence where the female subject gained access to the residence under the auspices of inquiring about the house being for sale. While walking around the inside of the residence, the female subject asked for a glass of water. While the homeowner retrieved the glass of water, the female subject stole the home owner's purse and fled the residence. The female suspect is described as a white female, 5'2" tall, medium build, with brown hair with red and blonde highlights. A police sketch is available by clicking here.
9/5/11
On September 1st at 11:34pm, Ptl. Timothy Bradshaw arrested Alexis Renti, 26, of Barnegat on $500 in outstanding contempt of court warrants.
Renti was processed and released on her own recognizance by Stafford and Little Egg Harbor courts from which the warrants originated.
8/28/11
2:50pm- The shelter is officially closed. Everyone has safely vacated.
11:00am- The mandatory evacuation has been lifted and people may return to their homes. The shelter will remain open until the last person has vacated safely.
8:15am- Evacuation has not been lifted! You may not return to your homes yet. Please be patient and as soon as it is safe you will be told by police that you may return to your homes. Police officers will assist with transportation as needed.
8:15am- We have reports of power being out on portions of Water St. and E. Bay Ave.
There are wires down on Powell Lane.
8:00am- The township water supply is not contaminated and safe to drink/use. We are receiving calls from several residents regarding this.
8:00am- W Bay Ave is closed from Hillside Ave to Memorial Dr. due to a low hanging power line. Police are on scene to divert and assist.
6:00am- As we continue to prepare for the worst but hope for the best the police department urges you to stay put. We continue to experience severe weather conditions making it unsafe to be outside.
The township has experienced sporadic power outages and the majority of the power has been restored. A limited number of homes are without power but are in the areas under mandatory evacuation. We have reports of fallen trees, debris in the roadway, and sagging power lines across some roadways.
This event is not over yet and we ask for your continued cooperation.
8/27/11
7:30pm- As darkness approaches and the weather becomes increasingly severe there is a potential for power outages. Should you use candles as a light source please do not leave them unattended or lit while you sleep to avoid the risk of fire.
5:30pm- Currently there are no reported power outages, storm related damage, or storm related injuries within Barnegat Township.
5:00pm- The township is beginning to experience an increase in winds and heavy periodic rainfall causing reduced visibility. We are urging residents to stay inside and remain off the roadways.
1:30pm- The roadway on Bayshore Dr. at the public beach is beginning to flood. Please stay out of this area.
12:15pm- We are experiencing an increase number of curious onlookers at the public beach and dock area. We ask that you stay out of the area east of Ridgeway St. on Bayshore Dr. and east of Powell Lane on E. Bay Ave. Police have closed the road in order to prevent people from unnecessarily accessing the area. Thank you for your cooperation.
12:00pm- Residents should be aware that police will maintain a strong presence in areas under mandatory evacuation to eliminate the threat of burglary, theft, or property damage.
9:00amMandatory evacuations remain in effect (scroll down for a list of those areas). The shelter located at the Russell O. Brackman School located on Barnegat Blvd. North opened at 8am. The Emergency Operations Center was activated at 8am as well.
Remember that the shelter at Southern Regional High School is pet friendly.
The police department is urging residents, who do not need police, fire, or first aid assistance, to call 609-698-0080 and dial 0 for all general information inquiries regarding the storm.
8/25/11
***Evacuation Notice***
Effective Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 8:00am, the Township of Barnegat will issue a mandatory evacuation notice for the following areas in Barnegat:
1. Pinewood Estates Mobile Home Park on state route 72.
2. Brighton at Barnegat Mobile Home Park on state route 72.
3. Barnegat Bayfront consisting of all areas east of Ridgeway St on Bayshore Drive
4. Barnegat Bayfront consisting of all areas east of Powell Ln on East Bay Avenue.
The Township will open a shelter at the Brackman Middle School located on Barnegat Boulevard North on Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 8:00am. ANY RESIDENT of Barnegat or Ocean Township can utilize the shelter. Please call the Barnegat Township Police Department at (609) 698-5000 if you need transportation to the shelter.
Residents with pets who wish to use a shelter should go to the Southern Regional School Complex on state route 9 in Stafford Township where they can properly accommodate pets.
8/23/11
On August 20th at 12:22am, Ptl Robert Armstrong and his K9 partner Bullet apprehended a suspect who was in the process of burglarizing a unit at the Atlantic Heights complex.
Ptl. Armstrong and Bullet, along with Ptl. Michael Diblasi responded to the Atlantic Heights apartments after a neighbor called reporting a suspicious looking male walking around the outside of one of the units.
Upon their arrival, officers observed signs of forced entry, specifically a window screen which had been pried out and left on the ground in front of the apartment in question. The unit was observed to be dark with a closed but unsecured front window.
Ptl. Armstrong opened the window and announced that be would be releasing his police dog into the residence, and that anyone inside should surrender.
At that time, Jeffrey Close, 30, of Barnegat yelled out that he would surrender.
Close voluntarily walked out of the residence and was placed under arrest for burglary.
Close was charged with third-degree burglary and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $7,500 bail.
8/22/11
On August 17th at 2:10am, Ptl.Nicholas Venuto attested Frank Haverick, 19, of Barnegat for DWI.
Ptl. Venuto stopped Haverick's vehicle on Barnegat Blvd for failing to maintain lane of travel.
Haverick was released with summonses for DWI, failure to maintain lane, failure to use turn signal, reckless driving, and failure to wear a seatbelt.
On August 20th at 11:03pm, Ptl. Chris Ebert arrested Christopher Mairella, 27, of Barnegat on an outstanding $30,000 warrant for burglary.
Ptl. Ebert observed Mairella while on routine patrol on Route 9 and had knowledge of the outstanding warrant.
Mairella was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of bail.
8/17/11
On August 10th at 5:16pm, Ptl. Brian Weber arrested Diane Riccardi, 54, of Waretown for disorderly conduct after responding to the McDonalds restaurant on Route 9 for a report of a female subject loitering inside of the establishment.
Ptl Weber found Riccardi to be extremely intoxicated and continually causing a disturbance inside of the establishment.
Riccardi was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $2,500 bail.
8/14/11
Officers responded to 65 Lexington Blvd at 4:20pm for a reported structure fire.
Upon arrival, officers observed unit 65 fully engulfed, with smoke emanating from the adjoining units.
Officers evacuated the adjoining units. The residents of 65 escaped the residence prior to officer arrival.
The fire was extinguished by the Barnegat Volunteer Fire Company. Stafford and Waretown Volunteer Fire Companies also assisted.
A 35 year old female and 17 year old female, both occupants of 65 Lexington Blvd, were transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center by the Barnegat First Aid Squad for smoke inhalation.
Three housing units have been deemed uninhabitable due to fire, smoke, and water damage. Barnegat Township building inspectors are assessing other adjoining units to ensure they are safe for habitation.
The Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross will be providing shelter for one of the displaced families.
The fire was ruled accidental and appears to have originated in the area of the water heater.
8/10/11
On August 10th at 2:53am, officers responded to a Cannonball Drive residence for a report of a structure fire.
The five occupants of the residence were already out of the house. None were injured.
The fire was extinguished by the Barnegat Volunteer Fire Company, however, the residence was heavily damaged and uninhabitable.
The residents are staying with family in the area.
The fire is under investigation by the Ocean County Fire Marshall and Barnegat Police Department.
Cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
8/8/11
On August 5th members off the Investigative Division arrested Jason Johnson, 41, of Barnegat for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Officers had stopped the vehicle in which Johnson was a passenger due to Johnson not wearing his seatbelt. During the stop, they observed Johnson attempt to conceal a quantity of marijuana under the seat of the vehicle.
Johnson was processed and released on his own recognizance after being charged with Possession of Marijuana under 50 grams and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
8/2/11
On July 29 at 7:36pm, Ptl. Jim Purcell arrested Brandon Parkhill, 20, of Barnegat for disorderly conduct after observing a dispute while on a walking patrol of Lexington Blvd. During the incident, Ptl. Robert Armstrong also arrested Lisa Clayton, 24, of Barnegat for disorderly conduct.
Both subjects were charged with Disorderly Conduct and released on their own recognizance.
On July 28 at 11:32pm, Ptl. Jim Purcell arrested Jesse Lacey, 28, of Barnegat on $3,360 in outstanding warrants for failure to pay child support and driving with a suspended license. Lacey was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of bail.
On July 31 at 11:05pm, Ptl. Timothy Bradshaw arrested Timothy Anderson, 23, of Barnegat for outstanding warrants and hindering apprehension.
Anderson had given Ptl. Bradshaw a false name and date of birth during an earlier encounter while on a foot patrol of Lexington Blvd.
Ptl. Bradshaw was able to later determine Anderson's true identity and also determined that Anderson had an outstanding warrant out of Seaside Heights for $441.
Anderson was charged with Hindering Apprehension and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of bail on the Seaside Heights warrant.
8/1/11
On July 27 at 10:25pm, Sgt. Jeff Ryan arrested Rhonda Dasilva, 47, of Barnegat for DWI after responding to the Spirit's Unlimited parking lot to investigate a report of intoxicated individuals in a vehicle.
During the investigation and subsequent arrest, Dasilva became uncooperative and was also charged with resisting arrest and obstructing the administration of law.
Dasilva was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $5000 bail.
7/28/11
Chief Arthur P. Drexler has announced that a team of Assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) will arrive on August 13th to begin an exhaustive review of all aspects of the Barnegat Police Department’s policy, procedures, management, operations, and support services.
If successful, Barnegat will be the first CALEA nationally accredited police department in Ocean County, and one of only eight municipal police departments in New Jersey to achieve CALEA accreditation. There are currently 367 municipal police departments in the United States that have receive CALEA national accreditation.
Verification by the assessment team that the Barnegat Police Department meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain national accreditation- a highly coveted recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.
As part of the on-site assessment, members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session to be held on Sunday August 14 th at 7:00 PM. The session will be held in the Barnegat Municipal Courtroom located at 900 West Bay Avenue. For any individuals who may wish to offer comment but are unable to attend the session, a telephone call-in session will be held from 1:00 PM-3:00 PM on Sunday, August 14th. Interested individuals can reach the assessors at 609-698-0556.
Persons wishing to offer written comments with regards to the Barnegat Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation may write to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) 13575 Heathcote Blvd, Suite 320 Gainesville, Virginia 20155.
Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the accreditation standards.
A copy of the standards is available upon request from the department. Interested individuals can contact the Accreditation Manager, Lieutenant Keith Germain at 609-698-5000 x203.
The Barnegat Police Department must comply with a total of 479 standards in order to achieve accreditation.
The CALEA assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar,but out of state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview employees, and visit agency assets and locations where compliance can be witnessed.
Once the assessors complete their review, they will report back to the full Commission who will decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status.
The CALEA assessment team will be comprised of team leader Chief Douglas Knight of the Vandalia Ohio Division of Police, and assessor Captain Chris Settle of the Culpeper Police Department located in Culpeper, Virginia.
7/26/11
On 7/20 at 6:00am, Ptl. Joseph D'Agostino responded to a Deer Run Dr North residence for a report of a wallet stolen from an unlocked motor vehicle.
Through the course of his investigation, Ptl. D'Agostino was able to develop and identify two suspects who were seen in the area the previous morning.
Ptl. D'Agostino and Detective Mike Mitchell were able to locate and interview the suspects, David Schubiger, 18, and Peter Leogrande, 18, both of Barnegat.
Both suspects were ultimately arrested and charged by Detective Mitchell with 3rd degree Burglary, 2 counts of Theft, and 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Burglary. The charges stemmed from the 7/20 Burglary and another Deer Run Dr North burglary that occurred on an earlier date and involved theft of a GPS and two iPod Nanos from an unlocked motor vehicle.
Officers were able to recover the GPS unit.
Both suspects were lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $7,500 bail.
7/21/11
At 11:39am, a 2007 Lincoln MKZ operated by Renee Tortoriello, 53, of Barnegat collided with a 2002 GMC C3500 dump truck operated by Wilhem Garcia, 21, of Manahawkin at the intersection of Route 9 and Bay Avenue.
An investigation by members of the Barnegat Police Traffic Safety Unit determined that Tortoriello's vehicle was traveling east on West Bay Avenue when it failed to stop at the red traffic signal, entered Route 9, and collided with the northbound dump truck. The collision forced the dump truck off of the road where it struck and destroyed a traffic light and various trees and shrubs before coming to rest.
Tortoriello and her front seat passenger were transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center with minor injuries. The dump truck driver was uninjured.
Tortoriello was issued a summons for failure to stop at a red signal.
Garcia was issued a summons for being an unlicensed driver.
North and southbound traffic on Route 9 was detoured around the scene for approximately an hour.
7/17/11 In anticipation of high temperatures, a cooling center will be opened at the township recreation center located at 900 West Bay Ave from 8am-8pm this week. Residents who need transportation to the center should contact the police department at 698-5000.
7/14/11
On 7/12 at 10:22pm, Ptl. Vincent Damiano arrested Jay Bates, 49, of Barnegat for Hindering Apprehension. Ptl. Damiano observed Bates walking in a dark area of Barnegat Blvd and conducted a field check of Bates. During the contact, Ptl. Damiano was able to determine that Bates was giving a false name to avoid being arrested for a $3,870 outstanding warrant. Bates was charged with Hindering Apprehension and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $6,500 bail.
On 7/11 at 3:20am, Ptl. Nicholas Dapuzzo arrested Dwayne Robinson, 43, of Thomasville Georgia on $1,022 in outstanding warrants after responding to St Mary's church on West Bay Avenue for a report of a suspicious male. During the course of the investigation, Robinson was found to be in possession of Suboxone, a controlled dangerous substance. Robinson was charged with Possession of CDS and lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $15,000 bail.
7/11/11
Ptl. Nicholas Venuto arrested Peter Silvestri, 30, of Lexington Blvd for Disorderly Conduct after responding to a disturbance call on Lexington Blvd. Ptl. Venuto arrived to find approximately 15 people engaged in a verbal altercation. Silvestri was charged with Disorderly Conduct and was released on his own recognizance.
7/7/11
On 7/6/11 Ptl. Alex Hoffman arrested David Smith, 53, of Barnegat on an outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrant out of the O.C. Sheriffs Department in the amount of 7,278.64. Smith was unable to post bail and was turned over to the Sheriffs Department for disposition.
7/6/11
On 7/4/11 at 10:42pm Ptl. Nicholas Dapuzzo arrested Gary Casper, 54, of Waretown for DWI after Casper was observed nearly falling off of the motorcycle he was operating on E. Bay Ave. at the Public Docks. Casper was released after being charged with DWI and Reckless Driving.
On 7/6/11 at 12:05am Ptl. Robert Armstrong arrested Gloria Bienstock, 76, of Barnegat for DWI after Bienstock struck a parked car on Village Dr. at Barnegat Blvd. Bienstock was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Refusing to Submit Breath Samples, Failing to Maintain Lane of Travel, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, and Failing to Report an Accident.
7/5/11
On 6/28/11 members of the Investigative Division arrested and charged Nicole Jarczynski, 24, of West Creek with Criminal Attempt Obtaining by Fraud. The charge stems from a 5/11/11 incident where Jarczynski attempted to fill a fraudulent prescription, at a local pharmacy, for Roxicodone. Jarczynski was released on a Complaint Summons.
On 7/3/11 at 6:54pm police responded to the WaWa at 550 Rt. 9 for a robbery. It was discovered that a black male entered the store and placed several boxes of cigars, from behind the counter, into a bag. When an employee confronted the black male he pushed the employee and left the store with the items. An inventory revealed that the suspect took approximately 343.00 worth of cigars. Anyone with information can contact Ptl. Julie Yakes or leave an anonymous tip at 660-TIPS or by clicking the TIP LINE icon on this web page.
6/29/11
On 6/27/11 Ptl. Nicholas Dapuzzo arrested Carmen Vargo on several outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrants out of the O.C. Sheriffs Dept., Ocean Twp., and Brick Twp. with bail totaling 15,960.57. Vargo was unable to post bail and was lodged in the O.C. Jail.
On 6/28/11 at 6:32am William Boyd Jr., 51, of Manahawkin reported his 1994 Ford Mustang stolen to police. The vehicle was later located in Barnegat at about 10:00am by Ptl. Christopher Steins. During the follow up investigation it was discovered Boyd Jr. falsely reported his vehicle stolen. Boyd Jr. was arrested and charged with False Report to Law Enforcement by Detective Maryann Cirulli. Boyd Jr. was released on a Complaint Summons.
6/28/11
On 6/24/11 at 10:38pm Ptl. Nicholas Dapuzzo arrested Laura Thompson-Schaeffer, 41, of Barnegat for DWI after stopping the vehicle Thompson-Schaeffer was operating, on Rt.9, for failing to maintain the lane of travel. Thompson-Schaeffer was charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Careless Driving, and Failing to Maintain Lane of Travel. Thompson-Schaeffer was also charged with Obstructing the Administration of Law for being uncooperative and failing to obey officers instructions during processing. Thompson-Schaeffer was lodged in the Ocean County Jail on 2,500.00 bail.
On 6/25/11 at 12:33am Ptl. Robert Armstrong was investigating a suspicious vehicle parked at the Lower Shore Rd. fields. During the encounter Ptl. Armstrong and his K9 partner Bullet located a bag of marijuana inside of the vehicle. As a result of the seizure, the operator, Scott Hardy, 19, of Barnegat was arrested and charged with Possession of Marijuana Under 50 Grams and released on a Complaint Summons.
6/23/11
On 6/21/11 Ptl. Thomas Behrens arrested Robert Boyle, 35, of Barnegat on 2 outstanding contempt of court arrest warrants out of Keansburg and Pt. Pleasant totaling 975.00. Boyle was unable to post bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
On 6/21/11 at 2:40am Ptl. Nicholas Venuto arrested Christopher Martisofski, 21, of Toms River for DWI after stopping the vehicle Martisofski was operating, for failing to maintain his lane of travel, on W. Bay Ave. Martisofski was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Failing to Maintain Lane of Travel, and Failing to Signal.
6/22/11
On 6/18/11 Ptl. Jospeh Stanziano arrested Edward Parkhill, 22, of Barnegat on several outstanding contempt of court arrest warrants totaling 1,556.00. Parkhill was unable to post bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
On 6/20/11 at 11:01pm Ptl. Brian Weber arrested 2 Barnegat Township juveniles for Trespassing at the Barnegat High School. Ptl. Weber located a 14 year old male on the grounds in the rear of the school and a 16 year old male on the roof. The juveniles were processed and released to their parents.
6/17/11
On 6/9/11 members of the Investigative Division executed a motor vehicle stop on Barnegat Blvd. on a vehicle being operated by Cassandra Ortiz, 28, of Barnegat for unclear license plate and obstructed view. During the ensuing investigation Ortiz was found in possession of Heroin and Suboxone. The passenger of the vehicle, Mia Owens, 30, of Toms River, was also in possession of Suboxone. Ortiz was arrested and released on a Complaint Summons for Possession of Suboxone, Possession of Heroin, and Possession of Heroin with the Intent to Distribute. Owens was arrested and released on a Complaint Summons for Possession of Suboxone. Ptl. Robert Armstrong and K9 Bullet assisted with the investigation.
6/14/11
On 6/9/11 at 1:18am Ptl. Robert Armstrong arrested and charged Anthony Gellura, 25, of Clementon with Obstructing the Administration of Law, Hindering Apprehension, False Report To Police, and Burglars Tools. Ptl. Armstrong observed a suspicious male wearing dark clothing and latex gloves walking in the lot of the A&P Plaza. When Ptl. Armstrong approached, the male fled the scene. Ptl. Armstrong, K9 Bullet, and several officers canvassed the area and located Gellura, who was now wearing different clothing, as well as a backpack that contained dark clothing, latex gloves, a hammer and ski mask. Gellura admitted to fleeing from police but did not fully confess as to why he was wearing dark clothing or carrying a hammer and ski mask. Gellura was lodged in the Ocean County Jail on 12,500.00 bail.
6/9/11
On 6/8/11 members of the Investigative Division were in the area of Spirits Bar on Rt. 9 when they observed suspicious activity behind the establishment. A further investigation revealed Robert Gunnell, 31, of Barnegat was distributing Percocet to Ryan Anderson, 29, of Barnegat. Gunnell and Anderson were arrested. Anderson was charged with Possession of Percocet and released on a Complaint Summons. Gunnell was charged with Possession of Percocet, Possession of Percocet with the Intent to Distribute, and Distribution of Percocet which were placed on a Complaint Summons. Gunnell was lodged in the Ocean County Jail, unable to post 4,245.00 bail from 2 unrelated outstanding arrest warrants out of Waretown and the O.C. Sheriffs Department.
6/8/11
A cooling center will be available at the township Recreation Center on June 9th from 8am-8pm. Residents who are in need of transportation to the cooling center should contact the police department at 698-5000.
On 6/7/11 members of the Investigative Division arrested Koren Cristman, 54, of Barnegat on several outstanding arrest warrants out of Brick, O.C. Sheriffs Department, Union County Sheriffs Department, and Middlesex County Prosecutors Office. During the encounter Cristman was found to have quantities of Heroin in her possession. Cristman was charged with Possession of Heroin, Possession of Heroin with the Intent to Distribute, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia with bail being set at 20,000.00. Cristman was unable to post bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
6/7/11
On 6/5/11 Ptl. Timothy Bradshaw charged Charles Eble, 34, of Barnegat with Obstructing Administration of Law. Police arrived at Eble's home to serve an outstanding Civil Contempt arrest warrant, issued by the Ocean County Sheriffs Department, with bail set at 38,803.00. Eble fled the scene, to avoid arrest, prior to positive identification by police. Eble turned himself in on 6/6/11 and posted 5,000.00 bail for the obstruction charge and was released. Eble previously satisfied the warrant from the Sheriffs Dept.
On 6/7/11 Detective William Hetrick charged Dimaris Rodriguez, 26, of Barnegat with False Reports to Law Enforcement Authorities after discovering Rodriguez claimed her credit card was used fraudulently on 5/27/11 which was falsely reported to police. Rodriguez was served with a Complaint Summons and released.
6/6/11
The 2011 Community Survey Report is now available. The report is available on the Department Statistics page or by clicking here.
6/3/11
On 6/2/11 Ptl. Robert Armstrong arrested and charged Katharine Hoholick, 20, of Barnegat with Possession of Heroin after laboratory test results indicated the white powder found in her home on 12/9/2010 was heroin. Bail was set at 7,500.00 which Hoholick could not post and she was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
On 6/2/11 Ptl. Vincent Damiano arrested and charged Christopher Sabo, 20, of Barnegat with Possession of Marijuana Under 50 Grams and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Police discovered the drugs and paraphernalia during the investigation of a minor motor vehicle collision that Sabo was involved in. Sabo was processed and released on a Complaint Summons.
6/2/11
On 5/30/11 at 10:12pm Ptl. Behrens stopped a vehicle for failing to maintain the lane of travel on Rt. 9. The operator, Linda Layer, 46, of Barnegat, was arrested during the encounter for an outstanding contempt of court arrest warrant out of Tinton Falls in the amount of 106.00. During the arrest quantities of narcotics were found in Layers possession. Layer was charged with Possession of Cocaine and Possession of Xanax with bail set at 20,000.00. Layer was unable to post bail and lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
on 5/31/11 at 9:37pm Ptl. Nicholas Dapuzzo arrested and charged Melanie Ferguson, 23, of Barnegat with Shoplifting from the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on W. Bay Ave. Ferguson concealed cough medicine, cosmetics, and honey totaling 142.15 in a bag and attempted to leave the establishment. Ferguson was processed and released on a Complaint Summons.
6/1/11
On 5/28/11 Ptl. Gregory Martinez arrested and charged Holly Mull, 21, of Old Bridge for Possession of Xanax, Possession of Marijuana Under 50 Grams, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia after discovering the contraband in Mulls possession. Mull was the passenger of a vehicle that was stopped, for speeding, on Barnegat Blvd. at 12:16am.
On 5/28/11 at 11:33pm Ptl. Gregory Martinez arrested a 17 year old Mystic Island male for possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia during an investigation of suspicious activity at the WaWa on Rt. 9. The juvenile was released to his parents after being charged with Possession of Marijuana Under 50 Grams and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
5/31/11
On 5/27/11 Detective Michael Mitchell charged Jennifer Bergstrom, 42, of Barnegat with Shoplifting. Detective Mitchell identified Bergstrom from surveillance footage capturing Bergstrom stealing a cigarette lighter from Tobacco Road, on 5/21/11, located on East Bay Ave. The lighter was valued at 30.00.
5/27/11
On 5/24/11 Ptl. Robert Armstrong arrested Nicole Rigaldi, 19, of Barnegat and Vanessa Reigota, 19, of Barnegat for possessing false identification. Ptl. Armstrong stopped the vehicle Rinaldi was operating, on Barnegat Blvd. North, because it was involved in a hit and run accident in Lacey Twp. Rinaldi and Reigota were charged with Possession of False Identification and released on a Complaint Summons.
On 5/25/11 Ptl. Nicholas Dapuzzo arrested Joseph Barton 3rd, 46, of Barnegat on an outstanding contempt of court warrant out of Lakewood in the amount of 2,500.00. Barton 3rd was unable to post bail and was released to the custody of Lakewood Police for disposition.
On 5/26/11 at 9:10pm Ptl. Robert Armstrong arrested Robert Brower, 46, of Barnegat for hindering his own apprehension during the investigation of a disorderly person on Gunning River Rd. Brower supplied police with a false name and birth date in order to prevent police from discovering he had active arrest warrants out of Little Egg Harbor. Brower was charged with Hindering Apprehension with bail set at 1,500.00 and the warrants totaled 1,000.00. Brower was unable to post bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
On 5/27/11 at 1:01am Sgt. Jeffrey Ryan arrested Jennifer Lynn Rogers, 19, of Barnegat for DWI after stopping the vehicle rogers was operating, for failing to stop at a stop sign, at Nautilus and Schooner Ave. Rogers was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Failing to Stop at a Stop Sign, Failing to Signal a Turn, and Failing to Produce Insurance Card.
5/26/11
On 5/22/11 Ptl. Joseph Stanziano arrested Ian Cichocki, 19, of Barnegat for DWI after stopping the vehicle Cichocki was operating, for making an illegal right turn at a red signal, on Rt. 9 at East Bay Ave. Cichocki was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, and Illegal Right Turn at a Red Traffic Signal.
Seat Belt Enforcement and Education Campaign to be Conducted Locally as Part of Nationwide Click it or Ticket Mobilization May 23-June 5, 2011
Law enforcement officers from the Barnegat Township Police Department will be cracking down on unbuckled motorists and their passengers as part of the national "Click it or Ticket" campaign.
Beginning May 23rd and running through June 5th, the annual initiative includes high visibility law enforcement seat belt checkpoints and saturation patrols, as well as local and national publicity designed to ensure the drivers and passengers recognize the life saving value of seat belts.
"Using a seat belt is the simplest way for a driver and his or her passengers to protect themselves when traveling," said Gary Poedubicky, Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety. "Motor vehicle occupants who buckle-up increase their chances of surviving a crash by as much as 75 percent."
Last year , the front seat belt usage rate in New Jersey rose for the 14th consecutive year to 93.73%. Poedubicky noted that while front seat belt usage rates continue to increase in New Jersey, law enforcement and safety officials want to ultimately see a 100 percent compliance rate.
"New Jersey has a strong front seat belt usage rate, but there is still work to do," he said. "To meet our goal, we must continue both enforcement and public outreach efforts that educate all motor vehicle occupants about the importance of buckling up, every ride."
Poedubicky added that the campaign will also focus on rear seat passengers as well. Legislation requiring adult back seat passengers to buckle up became law last year. Currently, adult back seat belt use stands at only 27 percent.
During the 2010 "Click it or Ticket" campaign, 406 police agencies participated in the two-week initiative. As a result of the effort, law enforcement officers issued 35,671 seat belt citations, 5,832 speeding summonses and made 592 drunk driving arrests.
5/16/11
On May 15th at 10:00pm, Ptl. Nicholas Dapuzzo arrested Michael Witzig, 32, of Barnegat on a contempt of court warrant out of Old Bridge Township. Ptl. Dapuzzo observed Witzig while on a walking patrol of Lexington Blvd.
On May 14th at 1:15am, Ptl. Christopher Ebert arrested Gina Bilangi, 39, of Montville, NJ for DWI after investigating a one car accident in which Bilangi's vehicle overturned on East Bay Ave.
5/9/11
On May 6th at approximately 11pm, Ptl. Gregory Martinez arrested Rashad Stokes, 20, of Lexington Blvd for possession of a handgun. Ptl. Martinez had responded to Lexington Blvd for a report of a disturbance when he observed Stokes crouched down behind a vehicle. As he approached Stokes, Ptl. Martinez observed a handgun on the ground where Stokes was crouched. Stokes was lodged in the OC Jail in default of $35,000 bail.
5/7/11
On 5/4/11 members of the Investigative Division arrested David Anderson, 30, of Barnegat on an outstanding Civil Contempt arrest warrant out of the Ocean County Sheriffs Department in the amount of 17,551.00. Anderson also had 3 outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrants out of Bass River totaling 1,000.00. During the encounter police found quantities of Cocaine and Alprazolam on Anderson. Anderson was additionally charged with 3rd degree Possession of Alprazolam, 3rd degree Possession of Cocaine, and 3rd degree Possession of Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute with an additional 30,000.00 bail being set. Anderson could not post bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
5/6/11
On 5/4/11 Ptl. Andrew Parsely arrested Dennis Roberts, 24, of Barnegat on an outstanding Civil Contempt arrest warrant out of the Ocean County Sheriffs Department in the amount of 6,284.00. Roberts was unable to post bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
On 5/3/11 at 11:01pm Ptl. Greg Martinez conducted a motor vehicle stop on a vehicle for Improper Turn on Barnegat Bl. During the encounter Ptl. Martinez discovered the front seat passenger possessed marijuana. Mathew Brockman, 22, of Manahawkin was arrested and charged with Possession of Marijuana under 50 Grams and was released with a Complaint Summons.
5/5/11
On 5/3/11 Sgt. Jason Carroll arrested Max Malick, 30, of Barnegat on an outstanding civil contempt of court warrant out of the Ocean County Sheriffs Department in the amount of 8,044.78. Malick was unable to post bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
On 5/3/11 at 7:47pm Ptl. Christopher Ebert arrested Jerome Adams, 54, of Barnegat for DWI during the investigation of a motor vehicle collision where Adams was an operator of one of the vehicles. The collision occurred on Barnegat Bl. North and Adams was taken to Southern Ocean Medical Center for injuries sustained during the collision. Adams was charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, and Failing to Observe Traffic Control Device.
5/4/11
On 5/2/11 at 10:36pm Ptl. Lauren Keilitz arrested Brandon Parkhill, 19, of Barnegat on six outstanding contempt of court arrest warrants out of Barnegat, Ocean Twp., and Little Egg Harbor with bail totaling 2,250.00. Parkhill was unable to post bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
On 5/2/11 at 10:36pm Sgt. Jeffrey Ryan arrested and charged Dana Roeller, 20, of Barnegat and Michael Colon Jr., 19, of Barnegat with Disorderly Conduct. Roeller and Colon Jr. created a public disturbance while officers were performing a lawful function. Roeller and Colon Jr. were released on a Complaint Summons.
5/3/11
On 4/30/11 Ptl. Christopher Ebert arrested Jacob Santosalvo, 18, of Barnegat on an outstanding arrest warrant for a theft Santosalvo was accused of. Santosalvo was unable to post the 10,000.00 bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail. Santosalvo was charged with stealing 1,750.00 worth of jewelry from a Barnegat home on 4/22/11.
4/26/11
On 4/25/11 Ptl. Gregory Martinez arrested John Sharpe Jr. on several outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrants with bail totaling 3,796.00. During a subsequent search Sharpe Jr. was found to be in possession of Heroin and several hypodermic needles. Sharpe Jr. was charged with Possession of Heroin, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Hypodermic Needles. Sharpe Jr. was unable to post bail on the outstanding warrants and was lodged in the Burlington County Jail.
4/19/11
On 4/17/11 at 7:46pm Ptl. Gregory Martinez arrested Renee Williams, 26, of Blackwood for DWI during the investigation of a one car collision on W Bay Ave. Williams was text messaging, disregarded a stop sign, and struck a tree.Williams was treated at SOMC and released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Failing to Stop at Stop Sign, Failing to Maintain Lane of Travel, and Improper use of a Cell Phone.
4/15/11
On 4/13/11 members of the Investigative Division arrested Demetrius Hamilton, 25, of Ocean City on an outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrant out of the Atlantic County Superior Court in the amount of 3,130.00. During an ensuing investigation detectives secured a search warrant for Hamilton's vehicle. During the search quantities of suspected Heroin were seized. Hamilton was lodged in the Atlantic County Jail in lieu of bail. Hamilton was also charged with third degree Possession with the Intent to Distribute Imitation CDS with bail being set at 40,000.00.
On 4/13/11 at 4:19pm Ptl. Julie Yakes arrested Regina Krook, 43, of Barnegat for DWI during a motor vehicle collision investigation where Krook struck a parked car. Krook was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, and Failing to Maintain Lane of Travel.
4/14/11
On 4/8/11 Ptl. Vincent Damiano arrested and charged Amanda Raccuia, 31, of Manahawkin with False Report to Law Enforcement Authorities after an investigation revealed Raccuia falsely reported her vehicle was entered and money and medications were taken.
4/13/11
On 4/10/11 Ptl. Gregory Martinez charged Leslie Haines, 41, of Barnegat with False Report to Law Enforcement Authorities after discovering Haines fabricated a burglary and theft to police. Haines reported, to police, that her Mast Dr. home was burglarized and items were stolen on 4/9/11.Haines was served with a Complaint Summons pending a future court date.
4/12/11
On 4/11/11 Ptl. Timothy Bradshaw arrested Peter Kwiatkowski, 35, of Waretown for Theft after an investigation revealed Kwiatkowski took $2,000.00 worth of copper from Recycling the Past, a business located on Rt. 9. Kwiatkowski was charged accordingly and lodged in the Ocean County Jail in lieu of $5,000.00 bail.
On 4/11/11 Ptl. Richard Carr arrested Edward Deller Jr., 29, of Barnegat on an outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrant out of Stafford Twp. in the amount of $1,000.00. Deller Jr. was unable to post bail and was turned over to the Stafford Twp. Police Department for disposition.
4/8/11
On 4/7/11 Detective William Hetrick charged Jennifer Smith, 40, of Waretown with Shoplifting after a 10 day investigation revealed Smith was responsible for the theft of 2 cosmetic bags from the CVS Pharmacy that was reported on 3/27/11. The cosmetic bags are valued at 29.98. Smith was released on a Complaint Summons with a future court date.
4/6/11
On 4/4/11 at 12:00am Ptl. Gregory Martinez arrested and charged Evelyn Riccardi, 44, of Manahawkin with Disorderly Conduct. Police responded to a suspicious person call on Rt. 9 near the Barnegat Motel when they encountered Riccardi who began to act in a manner which caused alarm to the area residents. Riccardi was released with a Complaint Summons pending a future court date.
4/5/11
On 4/4/11 Ptl. Andrew Parsley arrested Francesco Neri, 52, of Barnegat on an outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrant out of the Monmouth County Sheriff Department in the amount of 24,167.00. Neri was unable to post bail and was turned over to Sheriff Officers for final disposition.
On 4/4/11 Ptl. Gregory Martinez arrested Michael Manganiello Sr., 42, of Barnegat on an outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrant out of the Ocean County Sheriff Department in the amount of 7,663.00. Manganiello Sr. was unable to post bail and was turned over to Sheriff Officers for final disposition.
On 4/2/11 Ptl. Gregory Martinez arrested Jonathon Garzon, 27, of Edison on an outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrant out of Marlboro Twp. in the amount of 1,500.00. Garzon was unable to post bail and was turned over to officers from Marlboro Twp. for final disposition.
On 4/1/11 Ptl. Michael DiBlasi arrested Michael Morton, 43, of Berlin Maryland on an outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrant out of Barnegat in the amount of 1,000.00. Morton was unable to post bail and was lodged in the O.C. Jail.
4/1/11
On 3/27/11 police responded to the CVS Pharmacy on W. Bay Ave. for a report of a shoplifter. The investigation revealed a Caucasian female wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants took 2 Essence cosmetic bags from the store and left in a compact vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ptl. Bryan Nogowski or leave an anonymous tip at 660-TIPS or by clicking the TIP LINE icon on this page.
3/31/11
The Police Department will have reduced phone service from 4:30pm to 6:30pm while a new phone system is being installed. Residents may encounter a busy signal when dialing 698-5000. This system change will not effect the 9-1-1 system. For any emergencies please dial 9-1-1.
On 3/28/11 at 12:07am Ptl. Brian Weber arrested Anthony Foglio, 26, of Ocean Gate for DWI after stopping the vehicle Foglio was operating, for tailgaiting, on Rt. 9. Foglio was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Following too Closely, Failing to Produce Documents, and Open Container of Alcohol.
3/22/11
On 3/18/11 at 10:43pm Ptl. Gregory Martinez arrested Robert Froelich Jr., 47, of Manchester for DWI after stopping the vehicle Froelich was operating, for tailgating, on Rt. 539. Froelich was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Tailgating, Open Container, and Refusing to Submit Breath Samples.
Sometime between March 18th and 19th someone damaged the bus stop at Rt. 9 and Gunning River Rd. by shattering 4 pieces of glass, potentially with their foot. Damage is estimated at 1,250.00. Anyone with information can contact Ptl. Bryan Nogowski, leave an anonymous tip at 660-TIPS, or by clicking the TIP LINE icon at the top left of this page.
On 3/20/11 at 10:31pm Sgt. Jeffrey Ryan witnessed a one car hit and run collision on W. Bay Ave. in the area of the Garden State Parkway. The vehicle struck an utility pole and left the scene despite Sgt. Ryan activating emergency lights and sirens. The driver, Sandra Marie Bender, 50, of Barnegat, stopped on W. Bay Ave. and Fouth St. and was arrested for DWI. Bender was released after being charged with DWI, Speeding, Reckless Driving, Failing to Maintain Lane of Travel, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Failing to Report an Accident, Failing to stop for an Emergency Vehicle, and Failing to show Documents
3/17/11
The Ocean County Health Department has made Potassium Iodide (KI) tablets available to Barnegat residents as part of their routine distribution program. Residents who wish to obtain KI tablets can contact the Ocean County Health Department at 732-341-9700 extension 7502.
3/16/11
On 3/16/11 Ptl. Joseph Stanziano arrested Sandra Mayfield,36, of Barnegat for several outstanding arrest warrants with bail totaling 26,750.00. During the encounter officers discovered Mayfield was in possession of Heroin. Mayfield was charged with Possession of CDS and bail was set at 10,000.00. Mayfield was unable to post bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
On 3/16/11 Ptl. Vincent Damiano arrested John Silva, 47, of Barnegat for Hindering the Apprehension of Sandra Mayfield, who was wanted on several outstanding arrest warrants. Silva, knowing Mayfield was inside the home, led police to believe Mayfield was not home on 3/14/11. Silva was unable to post bail, which was set at 7,500.00,and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
On 3/16/11 Ptl. Timothy Bradshaw arrested Tara Thau, 23, of Barnegat for an outstanding arrest warrant out of Berkely Twp. in the amount of 25,000.00. Thau was unable to post bail and was turned over to the Berkely Twp. Police Dept. for disposition.
3/15/11
On 3/7/11 at 10:36pm Ptl. Lauren Keilitz arrested Joseph Nolan Jr., 46, of Barnegat, for DWI, after stopping the vehicle Nolan was operating, for failing to maintain his lane of travel, on Rt. 9. Nolan was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Failing to Maitain Lane of Travel, and Failing to Produce Documents.
On 3/11/11 at 11:00pm Ptl. Michael DiBlasi took custody of Karriem Royster, 37, of Barnegat from the New Jersey State Police. The NJSP arrested Royster on an outstanding Simple Assault arrest warrant out of Barnegat Twp. Royster was unable to post the 3,000.00 bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
On 3/12/11 at 4:08pm Ptl. Timothy Bradshaw arrested John Sauer 3rd, 28, of Barnegat on 3 outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrants totaling 8,500.00. Sauer was unable to post bail and was turned over to the Ocean County Sheriffs Department for disposition.
3/10/11
On 3/9/11 Ptl. Gregory Martinez arrested Christopher Rittweger, 39, of Barnegat on an outstanding Civil Contempt arrest warrant out of the Ocean County Sheriffs Department in the amount of 37,994.36. Rittweger was unable to post bail and was turned over to the Sheriffs Department for disposition.
3/9/11
On 3/8/11 at 6:21pm Ptl. Alex Hoffman arrested Kirsten Kendrick, 19, of Jackson and a 17 year old female from Lakewood for consuming alcohol under age after responding to a complaint of people drinking inside of a vehicle on Village Dr. Kendrick was released on a Complaint Summons for Possession/Consumption of Alcohol Under the Legal Age and issued a Motor Vehicle Summons for Possession of an Open Container in a Vehicle. The juvenile was charged with Possession/ Consumption of Alcohol Under the Legal Age and released to a parent.
3/8/11
On 3/5/11 at 12:16am Ptl. Lauren Keilitz arrested Lisa Sherry, 35, of Manahawkin for DWI after the vehicle Sherry was operating was stopped, for failing to maintain lane of travel, on Pennsylvania Ave. Sherry was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Failing to Maintain Lane of Travel, and Obstructed View.
On 3/5/11 at 10:22pm Ptl. Timothy Bradshaw, assisted by Ptl. Vincent Damiano, arrested Jane Maydish on 2 outstanding arrest warrants out of Berkely Twp. for Burglary, Criminal Mischief, and Harassment. Maydish was unable to post the 21,500.00 bail and was turned over to the Berkely Twp. Police Dept. for disposition.
3/7/11
The Barnegat Police Department is happy to announce that victims will now be able to report certain crimes online using our new Online Crime Reporting Form.
The form was developed as a way to make it easier for victims with busy schedules and other obligations to report crimes without having to be at home or to wait for an officer to respond to their residence.
Online reporting forms allow a victim to provide all necessary information to the department electronically, so that an officer can investigate an offense and write the necessary reports without having to physically respond to the victim's residence.
The form was developed and added to the site at no cost to the Township thanks to the generosity of Web Alliance International, the Toms River based marketing, web design, and graphics company that designed Barnegatpolice.com.
Victims who wish to access the report can do so by clicking here , or by selecting the links located on either the Home page or the Resources page
3/4/11
On 3/1/11 Detective William Hetrick arrested and charged Nicholas Manochio, 19, of Effort PA and Donald Rivera, 19, of S. Toms River with several counts of Burglary, Theft, Credit Card Theft, and Credit Card Fraud in connection with the 65 car burglaries that occurred on January 27th and 28th of 2011. Manochio, who was already incarcerated, was served with Warrants with bail set at 25,000.00 and Rivera was transported to the O.C. Jail in lieu of 55,000.00 bail. Several stolen items were recovered and Det. Hetrick is in the process of matching the item to the the victim and notifying them. The Toms River Police Department located the vehicle that Manochio and Rivera were operating the night of the incident, which was instrumental to our investigation.
3/3/11
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service will be conducting controlled burning today on Route 539 north of Route 72. Winds will be out of the north and northeast today which will minimize any smoke impact on Barnegat residents, however, residents in western Barnegat may occasionally smell smoke during the day.
Today at 2:29am Ptl. Nicholas Venuto arrested Jennifer Maino, 38, of Barnegat, for DWI, after stopping the vehicle Maino was operating, for failing to maintain her lane of travel, on Roxbury Dr. Maino was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Failing to Maintain Lane of Travel, and Open Container in a Vehicle.
3/2/11
On 3/1/11 Ptl. Richard Carr charged Stacy Murphy, 25, of Barnegat with 14 counts of Obtaining Prescription Legend Drugs by Fraud after discovering Murphy obtained Tramadol on 14 separate occasions between 12/28/10 and 2/25/11. Murphy claimed she was a physician's employee and phoned the prescriptions into CVS 13 times and Walgreens once. Murphy was released on a Complaint Summons.
3/2/11
Detective Maryann Cirulli charged 6 township juveniles, ages 9-11, with Criminal Mischief Employment of Fire on 2/24/11. The juveniles were found responsible for setting a brush fire, on 2/2/0/11 at 3:40pm, which damaged a 10ft by 25ft wooded area to the North of the Lillian M. Dunfee School. Juvenile Complaints were signed and they were released to their respective parents.
3/2/11
At 12:14am today, Ptl. Michael DiBlasi arrested Jamierose Edelbach, 18, of Barnegat for DWI after stopping the vehicle Edelbach was operating, on Rt. 9, for failing to maintain her lane of travel. Edelbach was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Littering, Failing to Maintain Lane of Travel, and Failing to Wear a Safety Belt.
At 2:02am today, Ptl. Greg Martinez arrested Joshua Aviles, 19, of Barnegat was arrested for DWI after stopping the vehicle Aviles was operating, on Tulsa Dr., for having a taillight out. Aviles was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, and Maintenance of Lamps.
At 2:19am today, Ptl. Nicholas Venuto arrested Anthony Racanelli, 19, of San Diego California for DWI after stopping the vehicle Racanelli was operating, on Barnegat Blvd. N., for failing to maintain his lane of travel. Racanelli was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Failing to Maintain Lane of Travel, and Failing to Wear a Safety Belt.
3/1/11
On 2/26/11 at 6:07pm Renee Nagy, 39, of Barnegat was charged with Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer and Throwing Bodily Fluids at Law Enforcement Officers. Nagy was transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center, by officers, because she was extremely intoxicated and acting aggressively. At SOMC Nagy attempted to strike Ptl. James Purcell with a closed fist and missed. While Ptl. Purcell and Ptl. Joseph Stanziano attempted to restrain Nagy she spit in their faces. Nagy remained at SOMC for treatment and will be served with her charges by Stafford Twp. Police prior to her release.
On 2/25/11 Ptl. Joseph Stanziano arrested and charged Philip Shiner, 22, of Barnegat with Possession of Cocaine after a suspicious substance, seized form a 11/12/2010 incident, tested positive for cocaine. Shiner was transported to the Ocean County Jail in lieu of 7,500.00 bail.
2/26/11
Today at 10:44am a 35 year old female township resident was struck, while riding her bicycle, on Lighthouse Dr. at W. Bay Ave. by a blue full size pickup truck driven by a white male operator. The pickup made an illegal right turn on red, struck the victim, and left the scene traveling east on W. Bay Ave. The victim was not injured as a result of the collision. Anyone with information is asked to call Ptl. James O'Hearn or leave an anonymous message at 660-TIPS or by clicking on the TIP LINE icon on this page.
2/26/11
Today at 8:38am a Barnegat Twp. School bus, occupied by 14 elementary school students and it's driver, was struck on Water St. at Ridgeway St. by a vehicle driven by Christina Lejda, 61, of Barnegat. Lejda was traveling South, in a 2000 Mitsubishi Galant, when she failed to stop at the stop sign at Water St. striking the school bus which was turning left from Water St. onto Ridgeway St. Nobody was injured as a result of the collision and Lejda received a Summons for Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign.
2/25/11
Officers responded to a minor motor vehicle accident involving a Barnegat School District school bus. No students were injured in the accident.
2/24/11
On 2/21/11 Ptl. Nicholas Venuto charged Randi Sofia, 24, of Barnegat for Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance. Sofia was arrested for an outstanding Contempt of Court warrant out of Newark for 183.00 and during the ensuing search several Xanax pills were located in Sofia's possession. The Xanax was not legally prescribed to Sofia who posted bail and was released.
2/23/11
On 2/20/11 at 11:25pm Ptl. Nicholas Venuto arrested and charged Fernando Irizarry,19, of Barnegat with Possession of Marijuana Under 50 Grams and Posession of Drug Paraphernalia. Ptl. Venuto stopped the vehicle Irizarry was operating for failing to use a turn signal on Ravenwood Blvd. The drugs and paraphernalia were discovered during the encounter. Irizarry was released with a Complaint Summons.
2/22/11
On 2/19/11 at 8:56pm Ptl. Nicholas Dapuzzo arrested Cory Witzig, 26, of Barnegat for stealing currency from the Burger King on W. Bay Ave. Witzig, who is employed by Burger King, admitted to taking 50.00 from a back office safe. Witzig was not working at the time of the offense. Witzig was charged with Theft and released on a Complaint Summons.
On 2/19/11 at 4:52pm a parked car was struck by a dark colored full size pick up truck in the McDonald's parking lot. The pick up truck left the scene with potential damage to the front passenger side corner. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ptl. James Purcell or leave an anonymous message at 660-TIPS or by clicking the TIP LINE icon on this page.
On 2/18/11 Ptl. Nichoals Dapuzzo arrested Joseph Barton, 47, of Barnegat on an outstanding Contempt of Court arrest warrant out of Union Twp. in the amount of 560.00. Barton was released on his own recognizance, authorized by Union Twp. Municipal Court, with a new court date.
2/17/11
At 4:17am today a vehicle struck an utility pole on W. Bay Ave. at Sandpiper Rd. causing a brief area power outage. Police remain on scene for traffic control while utility companies replace the pole. One Eastbound lane will be closed during repairs leaving the middle lane open for travel which may cause minor delays.
Nobody was injured as a result of the collision.
2/16/11
On 2/11/11 Ptl. Christopher Ebert arrested William Rogers 3rd on two outstanding Contempt of Court warrants out of Woodland and Medford Townships. Rogers 3rd was able to post the combined 1,114.00 bail and release.
2/15/11
Sometime between 11:00pm on 2/11/11 and 8:45am on 2/12/11 the China Garden Restaurant, 34 S. Main St., was entered and the cash register, containing 200.00 in cash, was taken. The person(s) responsible shattered the glass front door and removed the register, valued at 300.00, from the front counter. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ptl. Richard Carr or leave an anonymous tip at 660-TIPS or by clicking on the TIP LINE icon on this page.
2/11/11
On 2/10/11 at 7:00pm police responded to a Rt. 9 home for a disturbance. As a result Ptl. Timothy Bradshaw arrested and charged Orlando Martinez, 32, of Manahawkin with Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Prohibited Weapon, and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose. Martinez arrived at the home, starting an argument, and swung a baseball bat at the victim who was not struck or otherwise injured. Martinez was transported to the Ocean County Jail in lieu of 17,500.00 bail.
2/10/11
On 2/9/11 Detective Maryann Cirulli charged Samuel Bishop, 21, of Barnegat with Receiving Stolen Property after a 3 month investigation yielded Bishop's involvement with the theft of items from a Barnegat Twp. home in October 2010. The victims have recovered all of their property but Bishops whereabouts are not currently known. If you have any information that would assist in locating Bishop you can contact Detective Cirulli or leave an anonymous message by calling 660-TIPS or by clicking the TIP LINE icon on this page.
*** Due to multiple requests, the Powerpoint presentation from the February 7th Committee Meeting has been uploaded to the Resources Page. It is also available by clicking here
2/9/11
On 2/4/11 at 6:22pm two bicycles were reported stolen from the front of WaWa at 888 W. Bay Ave. The victims were inside of the store for approximately 20 minutes. The bicycles are BMX style and valued at 600.00 each. If you have information regarding the theft please contact Ptl. Brian Weber at 698-5000 x 246.
2/8/11
Chief Arthur Drexler would like to thank the residents of Barnegat for their overwhelming show of support, during the police department's presentation, at last nights township meeting. We appreciate your confidence in our agencies ability to provide you with quality dependable service.
2/8/11
On 2/5/11 Ptl. Greg Martinez arrested William Curtis, 34, of Barnegat for DWI. Curtis was stopped on Rt. 9 for operating an unregistered vehicle and was discovered under the influence. Curtis was released after being charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, and Operating an Unregistered Vehicle.
2/4/11
On 2/2/11 Ptl. Timothy Bradshaw arrested Dennis Roberts, 24, of Barnegat on an outstanding arrest warrant out of Barnegat Twp. in the amount of 2,500.00. Roberts was unable to post bail and was lodged in the O.C. Jail
2/4/11
On 2/3/11 members of the Barnegat Twp. Police Dept. along with the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team South Platoon executed a search warrant at 266 Hawthorne Lane. As a result of the ensuing search quantities of Cocaine, US currency, and drug paraphernalia were seized and Damon Ellis, 38, of that residence was arrested. Ellis was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in lieu of 50,000.00 bail after being charged with 2nd degree Possession of Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute, 3rd degree Possession of Cocaine, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
2/2/11
On 2/2/11 at 1:44am Sergeant Jeffrey Ryan arrested Michael Piechowski, 25, of Barnegat for an outstanding Contempt of Court warrant out of Beach Haven. Piechowski was released with a new court date under the authority of the Beach Haven Municipal Court.
1/28/11
Since 5:20am today police have responded to numerous reported car burglaries throughout town. Members of the Investigative Division are processing each vehicle for evidence. If your vehicle was unlawfully entered or you have information regarding the burglaries please contact us at 698-5000.
The Barnegat Twp. Police Department urges all residents to lock their car doors and remove all valuables when unoccupied. We are currently investigating over 60 car burglaries and not one of the vehicles was forcibly entered. In our experience the overwhelming majority of car burglary suspects will not risk capture by attempting forced entry. By keeping your vehicle locked you can avoid becoming a victim.
1/27/11
On 1/26/11 Ptl. Nicholas Dapuzzo arrested Anthony Longo, 26, of Toms River for several outstanding Contempt of Court warrants with bail totaling 19,209.00. Longo was unable to post bail and was lodged in the O.C. Jail.
1/26/11
On 1/21/11 at 11:52pm Ptl. Martinez arrested and charged Raymond Peters, 52, of Waretown with Possession of 50 Grams of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia during a motor vehicle stop on Rt. 9. Peters was released on a Complaint Summons and motor vehicle summonses for Failing to Maintain Lane of Travel and Drugs in a Motor Vehicle.
1/25/11
On 1/21/11 at 8:01am Ptl. Richard Carr arrested and charged Bud Spirit, 45, of Williamstown with Shoplifting after discovering Spirit took 11 packs of football trading cards, valued at 32.98, from the Rite Aid on W. Bay Ave. Spirit was released on a Complaint Summons.
1/21/11
On 1/19/11 members of the Barnegat and Lacey Twp. Police Departments conducted an investigation regarding the distribution of Roxicodone within Barnegat Township. As a result of the investigation Richard Ralston, 22, of Barnegat was arrested and charged with 3rd degree Possession of Roxicodone and 3rd degree Possession with the Intent to Distribute. A search warrant was later executed at Ralston's home and Ptl. Armstrong and his K9 partner, Bullet, located several hypodermic syringes, drug paraphernalia, and suspected marijuana. Ralston was released on a Complaint Summons.
On 1/17/11 Detective Maryann Cirulli arrested and charged 4 Manahawkin juveniles with Unlicensed Entry to a Structure and Criminal Mischief after a 4 month investigation revealed they were responsible for damaging the inside of a home, under construction, on Fawcett Blvd. The juveniles were released to their parents afetr being processed.
1/19/11
On 1/18/11 at 10:05pm Ptl. Stanziano arrested Antoine Shadd, 19, of Irvington on an oustanding contempt of court warrant out of Seaside Heights in the amount of 500.00. During the search, incident to arrest, 10 small Zip-Lock bags containing marijuana were located in Shadds possession. Shadd was charged with Possession of Marijuana with the Intent to Distribute and lodged in the Ocean County Jail in lieu of 15,000.00 bail.
1/19/11
On 1/18/11 at 9:31pm Ptl. Armstrong was investigating a suspicious vehicle at the end of Hawthorne Lane and with the use of his K9, Bullet, discovered that the owner of the vehicle was in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Ptl. Armstrong and Bullet located a hollowed out Barbisol shaving cream canister, containing the drugs and paraphernalia, behind the passenger seat. As a result of the discovery Nicholas Smit, 19, of Barnegat was arrested and charged with Possession of Under 50 Grams of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Smit was released with a Summons.
1/19/11
On 1/18/11 Ptl. Bradshaw arrested and charged Joseph Philipps, 19, of Barnegat with Possession of a Prohibited Weapon and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon after discovering a set of brass knuckles during an encounter, with Philipps, at the WaWA on W. Bay Ave. Philipps was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in lieu of bail which was set at 10,000.00.
1/19/11
On 1/17/11 Ptl. D'Agostino arrested Stephen Taylor Dorsey, 22, of Toms River on an outstanding civil contempt of court warrant out of the Ocean County Sheriffs Department in the amount of 3,748.77. Dorsey was unable to post bail and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
1/19/11
On 1/16/11, between 12:00pm and 3:30pm, a vehicle parked on Windward Dr. was struck by another vehicle which left the scene. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ptl. O'Hearn or leave an anonymous tip by calling 660-TIPS
1/19/11
On 1/14/11 Detective William Hetrick arrested and charged Maureen Cometa, 25, of Manahawkin for 3rd degree Theft after a month long investigation revealed Cometa was responsible for stealing cash and prescription medication from a home on Snow Bell Court. Cometa was released on a Summons.
1/19/11
On 1/13/11 Detective Nowak arrested and charged Carrie Young, 39, of Manahawkin and Emily Nicholson, 28, of Manahawkin for 3rd degree Criminal Attempt Obtaining by Fraud and 3rd degree Forgery. Investigations revealed that Young passed a forged prescription for 120 Roxicodone at a local pharmacy on 11/11/10 and Nicholson did the same for 150 Roxicodone on 11/15/10. Young and Nicholson were released on a Summon.
1/18/11
Police are investigating a hit and run accident that occurred on 1/16/11 at approximately 2:50am. A vehicle traveling west on E. Bay Ave. left the roadway and struck a vinyl fence on the property of Meadow Edge Park causing damage to 15 yards of fence. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ptl. D'Agostino or leave an anonymous tip by calling 660-TIPS.
1/13/11
On 1/12 at 1:09 am, Ptl. Greg Martinez responded to the area of Cole Dr to assist a motorist stuck in a snow bank. While assisting the motorist, Ptl. Martinez determined that the driver, Brandon Frustieri , 19, of Barnegat was under the influence of alcohol. Frustieri was arrested and charged with DWI.
On 1/12 at 11:00pm, Ptl. Greg Martinez responded to the Wawa on West Bay Ave and Lighthouse Dr to investigate a suspicious vehicle. During his investigation, Ptl. Martinez observed marijuana and a large sum of cash to be in possession of a vehicle passenger in the parking lot. Ptl. Martinez arrested the 17 year old male Barnegat juvenile for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.
1/7/11
On 1/6 at 6:50pm, Ptl. Alex Hoffman's marked patrol car was damaged when his vehicle was struck by a drunk driver. Ptl. Hoffman was on the shoulder of Route 72 investigating a report of an erratic driver when his vehicle was struck by a vehicle being operated by Susan Smith, 56, of Manahawkin. After the on-scene investigation, Smith was arrested for DWI.
