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Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on June 30, 2022, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Lakewood Township Police responded to the area of New Hampshire Avenue and Route 70 for a report of a Toms River Police Department Motorcycle that was involved in a crash.

An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, Lakewood Township Police Department and Ocean County Sheriffs Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit determined that a Toms River Police Officer, who was on duty and operating his department issued motorcycle, was traveling eastbound on Route 70 and entered the on-ramp to continue onto New Hampshire Avenue. Shortly after entering the on-ramp, the Officer lost traction with the road surface and dropped to the roadway. In the process, the Officer was ejected from the motorcycle. The Officer was air-lifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. The Officer was treated for his injuries and released.

This appears to be an accident caused by a substance on the roadway that caused the Officer to lose traction and subsequently control of the motorcycle. We are thankful that the Officer involved was treated and released and should make a full recovery, Prosecutor Billhimer stated.

The crash remains under investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, Lakewood Township Police Department and Ocean County Sheriffs Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit

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toms river motorcycle officer involved in crash - Ocean County Prosecutor Office

Pupils had to investigate the suspicious death of a body as part of their Crime Scene Investigation Day, which was attended by a forensics officer from North Yorkshire Police.

In a day organised by the schools Science department, the investigation included studying hair and blood samples, finger printing, testing fabrics under a microscope, and looking at the science behind gunshot residue.

Sue Ali, Head of Science at Harrogate Ladies' College, said that the day was designed to bring science to life and encourage more girls to think about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects in the future.

She said: It was such an exciting day with a lot of very detailed analysis of tests in a laboratory setting.

"The research was intense and real and an extremely popular day for everyone.

We tried to emulate the process of a crime scene investigation as much as possible and theres a real element of suspense and surprise.

The day was aided by STEM ambassadors who are sixth-form students from the school who are studying Science subjects.

They were also given a talk on careers in forensics and the opportunities in police and detective work.

Mrs Ali added: We set the scene and as the plot unveiled, it became exciting for the different teams to share their research and work out exactly how murders are investigated and ultimately solved.

All the different elements of the investigation were included in the day using the labs and its a great introduction to an exciting array of careers in Science.

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Pupils at Harrogate Ladies' College put their detective skills to the test at CSI Day - Harrogate Advertiser

Linden VFW building destroyed by fire

The Linden VFW building at 20 Pennsylvania Railroad Avenue was destroyed Sunday in a 2-alarm fire. A GoFundMe.com page has been created to help rebuild the city landmark.

~Courtesy of John Roman, MyCentralJersey.com

BOUND BROOK - A state appellate court has ruled that statements made by the parents of a borough man convicted of murdering an Old Bridge man can be admitted as evidence against them on charges they gave false information to police.

In an 18-page ruling Tuesday, the appellate court reversed a Superior Court decision saying that the statements made by David and Cindy Keogh to police on the night that Terrence C. Coulanges was shot by their son Ryan at their home on Farm Lane could not be used against them because they had not been given their Miranda rights against self-incrimination.

Mr. and Mrs, Keogh are facing charges of making false statements to police, hindering apprehension and endangering an injured victim.

In April their son was found guilty of murder in the 2019 incident. He also was found guilty of possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose; hindering apprehension or prosecution;endangering an injured victim;four counts of false swearing;tampering with physical evidenceand unlawful possession of a large capacity ammunition magazine.

The investigation beganat 7:36 p.m.Jan.9, 2019, when the Middlesex Borough Police Department received a 911 call reporting shots firedat aFarm Lane home in Bound Brook.

Bound Brook Police went to the scene and foundCoulanges outside the homewith gunshot wounds to the right thigh and left chest.

Police and medical personnelstartedlifesaving measures.Coulanges wastakento Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswickwhere he was pronounced dead.

An investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Investigation Unit and Bound Brook detectives found neighbors who said they heard gunshots about 5:45 p.m. that day.

The investigation found thatKeogh, along with his mother, then left the home and went to his father's office in Green Brook. A911 call was placed at 7:36 p.m., an hour and 51 minutes afterCoulanges was shot.

Keough had maintained that he shotCoulanges in self-defense. His lawyers argued that Coulanges came to the house where he was not wanted,a struggle ensued, and he was shot by Keogh.

As police were securing the house and the crime scene, the Keoghs stayed at the end of the driveway. A Middlesex Borough police officer who had responded to the scene told the Keoghs to refrain from talking to each other, court papers say.

The Keoghs were then taken to Bound Brook Police Headquarters in three separate police vehicles to give statements. A detective from the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office interviewed each Keogh separately in the company of other detectives. The Keoghs were separated from each other with the father and son in interview rooms and the mother in the lobby.

Crime news:South Bound Brook officer sues ex-cop who allegedly pointed loaded gun at him

The parents gave their statements and they waited in the lobby until the interview with their son ended about four hours later. They were then escorted back home to collect some things because they were not allowed to stay because the scene was still being processed.

After more investigation, the son was charged with murder on Feb. 13, 2019, and his parents were charged the following day.

The parents' lawyer filed a motion to suppress the statements they had given to police because they were not administered their Miranda rights. The prosecutor's office argued that they were "treated as witnesses and not suspects," but a Superior Court judge disagreed and said they should have been given their rights because they did not feel "free to leave" police headquarters.

Local news:Man killed by freight train in Bound Brook, police say

The appellate court disagreed with the judge's ruling, saying that the parents were told they could leave police headquarters after giving their statements but chose to remain until after their son gave his statement. The appellate court ruled that the parents were not subjected to "custodial interrogation" so they did not need to have their Miranda warnings given to them.

The prosecutor's office is charging that the parents gave false statements to the police about the night of the killing.

According to the prosecutor's office, video from a neighbor's security camera and tracking of all three Keoghs' cellphones revealed that their statements to police were false.

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

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Court rules Bound Brook parents' statements can be used against them in trial - My Central Jersey

Marijuana use and possession of up to 6 ounces of weed are legal in New Jersey if you are at least 21 years of age.Driving while high isnt.

Pot can be found in your system by a blood test. So if you get into an accident, a court could order you to be tested, especially when that accident causes injuries or fatalities. Thats something Danielle Bowker, 30, of Toms River found out on June 21 when Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced she had been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of strict liability vehicular homicide and two counts of assault by auto as well as driving while intoxicated.

All of the charges were in connection with a motor vehicle crash that occurred in Manchester Township on March 29. At approximately 7:15 that morning, Manchester Township police were summoned to the area of Whitesville Road and Route 571 for a report of a motor vehicle crash with a fatality. It was a four-vehicle crash.

An investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutors Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, Manchester Township Police Department and Ocean County Sheriffs Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit revealed that a 2018 Honda Civic operated by Bowker was traveling westbound on Route 571 when she failed to maintain her lane of travel while negotiating a right-hand curve. The Honda Civic then struck a state Department of Transportation Ford F-550 pickup truck operated by Eduardo Rivera, 30, of Hamilton Township, which was traveling eastbound on Route 571; Daniel Septor, 26, of the Cream Ridge section of Upper Freehold Township was a passenger in the Ford-550.

As a consequence, the Ford-550 lost directional control and struck a 2012 Toyota Camry operated by Michael Sadis, 48, of Toms River, pushing the Camry off the roadway into an embankment.

The Ford-550 continued in the same direction of travel and struck a 2015 Toyota Corolla operated by Paul Lamberti, 58, also of Toms River.

As a result of the crash, Sadis was pronounced deceased at the scene. Lamberti was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Rivera and Septor were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River for treatment of minor injuries.

Bowker also sustained minor injuries from the crash and was taken to Community Medical Center for treatment. While at Community Medical Center, a blood draw was taken from Bowker pursuant to a court-authorized warrant. Laboratory results of Bowkers blood draw, received by the Ocean County Prosecutors Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, revealed Bowker had an active THC (marijuana) level of 7 nanograms (ng) with a metabolite THC level of 61ng indicating Bowker was a recent, active user of marijuana at the time of the crash.

Upon reviewing the laboratory results of Bowkers blood draw, the states psychopharmacologist rendered an opinion that at the time of the crash, Bowkers faculties were impaired due to the effects of marijuana intoxication, and she could not safely operate a motor vehicle.

In light of the foregoing, arrangements were made for Bowker to surrender to Manchester Township Police Headquarters in the presence of her attorney on June 21. She was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where she is presently lodged pending a detention hearing.

Billhimer commended the Ocean County Prosecutors Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, Manchester Township Police Department, Ocean County Sheriffs Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Lakewood Township Police Department and Ocean County Medical Examiners Office for their combined and cooperative efforts in connection with this investigation.

As is usual, the prosecutors office press release ended with this statement:The charges referenced above are merely accusations and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven beyond guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

That statement could prove valuable in this case. Bowker and her attorney could mount a vigorous defense if the results of the blood draw are the only evidence the prosecution team has to offer. Marijuana can stay in ones system for a month. The law is still murky when it comes to what level of high constitutes driving under the influence of pot.

All 50 states have established a blood-alcohol level of 0.08% or higher as triggering a DUI charge, but there is no single standard when it comes to marijuana DUI charges.

There are at least six states that have legal THC limits, expressed in terms of nanograms per milliliter. Colorado, Montana and Washington have limits of 5ng/ml while Nevada and Ohios limits are 2ng/ml. Pennsylvanias limit is 1ng/ml. New Jersey apparently doesnt have a THC limit on its books.

If Bowker can afford to hire expert witnesses to contest the finding of the prosecutions expert witnesses, such as the states psychopharmacologist, a jury trial could prove very confusing and interesting.

The Ocean County Prosecutors Office didnt respond by press time to an inquiry about the Bowker press release. That inquiry didnt ask if there had been other evidence, such as an admission to using marijuana before driving, the presence of marijuana or drug paraphernalia in Bowkers vehicle, or the testimony of a drug recognition expert a law enforcement officer trained to administer tests to suspected impaired drivers to see in an individual is indeed impaired and if so, to categorize the type of impairment substance following a 12-step protocol. Law enforcement typically doesnt release such information before a trial.

The inquiry simply asked if the there had been a conviction for vehicular homicide in New Jersey based on the results of a blood test alone and attempted to confirm the state doesnt have a THC limit. A long internet search couldnt find either.

One thing is certain: Driving in New Jersey with marijuana in your bloodstream can get you in hot water even if you avoid conviction. An arrest, time in jail, attorney costs they all add up.

And you yourself could be killed.

Rick Mellerup

rickmellerup@thesandpaper.net

See more here:
Woman Charged With Vehicular Homicide Because of Marijuana in Her System - The SandPaper

HANCEVILLE, Ala. Wallace State Community College had 13 students earn a medal, including three teams to win a gold, at the 2022 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference competition recently held in Atlanta.

Gold medal-winning teams for Wallace State were:

Wallace State students have won 12 national gold medals in the past three national SkillsUSA events combined.

JaQuane Brown and Nolan West earned a silver medal in Robotics: Urban Search and Rescue for Wallace State.

Winning a bronze medal were Robert Combs, Oliver Edge and Grant Wiley in Automated Manufacturing Technology and Ayla Dewald in Criminal Justice.

Im very proud of the students who competed at the SkillsUSA Nationals event this year. To win gold in three events, one in silver and two in bronze speaks to the quality of students and instruction we have at Wallace State, said Wes Rakestraw, Wallace States dean of Applied Technologies. SkillsUSA provides a great opportunity for our students to compete and showcase their talent and skill. We made the most of that opportunity this year.

Each Wallace State winner at the national level was a gold winner at the state SkillsUSA competition, which was held last month in Birmingham. The college set a record with 33 gold medals, among the 50 won at state.

Wallace States Criminal Justice Department was on the cusp of winning a national gold medal last year and in 2019. Aguliar, Fletcher and Maddox helped the Crime Scene Investigation team break through.Aguilar is from Boaz, Fletcher from Cullman and Maddox from Hartselle.

While the individuals change, our students have worked hard for seven years to earn a national gold medal. This group pulled it off, and Im so thrilled for them. Theyre awesome people to be around. They respect each other and pull for each other, and that makes it even more gratifying, said Dr. Thea Hall, Criminal Justice department chair. Theres no way to describe the joy on their faces when the names were announced.

Among the tasks to complete at nationals, the Crime Scene Investigation team had to observe a crime scene lab, presenting three interpretations, matching and dusting fingerprints, analyzing a skull entry and exit wound, conducting a DNA blood swab and more.

Daniel and Hollis gold-winning performance in Mobile Robotics Technology marked the third straight national competition that Wallace States Computer Science students walked away with a gold (Sara Eskew and Zach Hudson in 2021; Chase Blakey and Benjamin Brownlee in 2019). Daniel is from Holly Pond and Hollis from Cullman.

Mobile Robotics Technology teams had to put together an engineering notebook and explain the design, programming and functionality of a robot in addition to earning points for programming and driving skills.

It speaks volumes that our students have the desire to excel. The entire process is hard work. It takes months of practice and dedication to be successful at the state and national levels, and our students embrace it, said Terry Ayers, Wallace States Computer Science chairperson.

In Robotics and Automation Technology, Davis and Raia are recent graduates of Wallace States Mechantronics program. Both participated in the Alabama Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) program at Wallace State, allowing them work at Kamtek in Birmingham, while also completing their degrees. They both maintained employment at Kamtek. Davis is from Shelby and Raia from Columbiana.

It was a great day for all the gold medal winners across campus. I believe the on-the-job experience that Camden and Juddson have received benefited them through the SkillsUSA process.

Their work as industry apprentices enhanced their experience and knowledge, said Jerry Murcks, Wallace States Mechatronics instructor and chair.

For the silver-winning team in Robotics: Urban Search and Rescue, Brown is from Birmingham and West from Eva.

For the bronze-winning team in Automated Manufacturing Technology, Combs and Edge are both from Cullman and Wiley is from Warrior.

Dewald is from Arab.

See the entire list of winners | https://www.skillsusa-register.org/rpts/EventMedalists.aspx.

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Wallace State Community College has 13 students win National SkillsUSA medals, including three teams earning gold - The Cullman Tribune