Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Frank Cochran, 59, of Lambertville has been issued a ticket for failing to obey a traffic control device in connection with the collision between his car and a bicycle on May 7. The bicyclist, who was killed, was pedaling in the wrong direction on Route 1
The driver whose car struck and killed a bicyclist on Route 1 earlier this month has been issued a ticket for failing to obey a traffic control device, according to Lawrence Township police. Just prior to 9:40 a.m. on May 7, Frank Cochran, 59, of Lambertville was entering Route 1 North (Brunswick Pike) from one of the Interstate 95/295 exit ramps when his 2004 Pontiac Grand Am struck bicyclist Aguedo Cruz, police have said. Cruz, 59, of Trenton died from his injuries shortly after his arrival at the regional trauma center in Trenton. “As he was coming off the exit ramp, Mr. Cochran entered an area of channelization painted on the roadway,” police spokesman Lt. Charles Edgar said. “Basically, he failed to follow the marked course of the …
A deadly, early-morning blaze - reportedly started by lightning - at the Rohm and Haas chemical plant in Bristol, Pa., sent a foul smell into Mercer County, including Lawrence Township, early Wednesday morning.
Lawrence Township police are working to identify the driver of a blue sedan that cut off another vehicle, causing that second vehicle to crash into a pole on Brunswick Pike at Whitehead Road Monday afternoon.
Lawrence Township police are working to identify the driver of a blue sedan that cut off another vehicle, causing that second vehicle to crash into a pole supporting a traffic light and a street light at the intersection of Brunswick Pike (Business Route 1) and Whitehead Road on Monday afternoon ( May 14). Richard J. Wilson, 23, of Kentucky Avenue, Hamilton Township, told police he was driving north along Brunswick Pike when the blue car cut him off shortly before 4:15 p.m., police department spokesman Lt. Charles Edgar said. Edgar said Wilson had to “brake hard” and lost control on the wet road, causing his 2002 Chevrolet Impala to hit the pole, knocking it over. The pole partially landed on top of Wilson’s car, but Wilson was not injured…
“When you call the police and no officer is available to respond, people could die. Brace yourselves – layoffs could cost lives.” ~ Tom Egan, a Lawrence Township resident and Robbinsville police officer.
Despite passionate statements offered by police union officials and township residents about how cuts in police staffing will endanger the safety of both officers and the general public, result in many crimes never being investigated and have an overall adverse effect on the quality of life in the township, members of Lawrence Township Council at their meeting yesterday evening (Tuesday, May 15) decided to move forward with a plan that would eliminate a dozen township positions – including five in the police department – in an effort to plug a $2.27 million hole in the 2012 municipal budget. The elimination of those jobs – done through a combination of layoffs, retirements and not filling currently vacant positions – will, together with …
Lawrence Township Police Office Andrew Lee, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 209, spoke out against layoffs during Tuesday's township council meeting.
Editor's Note: The following statement was read by Lawrence Township Police Officer Andrew Lee, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 209, to Lawrence Township Council at Tuesday's (May 15) meeting. Good evening, ladies and gentleman, Mr. Mayor and members of Council. My name is Andrew Lee and I am the president of the Lawrence Township Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 209. I am here today with respect to the amendment to tonight’s budget involving the layoffs of several of my officers in the Lawrence Township Police Department. I am going to keep this presentation rather short but to the point. I am going to focus on three key issues: (1) the safety of my fellow officers; (2) the safety of the community; and (3) alternatives …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Police union president says criminals are taking advantage of low manpower in state capital.
The New Jersey Policemen's Benevolent Association is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) who open fire on a Trenton Police car Monday night. "These officers were ambushed by thugs who want to take advantage of decreased manpower levels to launch all out assaults,” said state PBA President Anthony Wieners. “Every officer and citizen in this State should be outraged by the brazen nature of the criminals in our capitol city. We are posting the reward to send a message that we will not back down from protecting our cities from criminals." The officers heard gunfire on Stuyvesant Avenue in Trenton and responded around 11:50 p.m. when they realized they were being shot at and called for…
Between Wednesday, May 9, and Monday, May 14, four burglaries, two car thefts, and three vehicle break-ins have been reported in Lawrence Township.
In addition to the armed robbery that allegedly took place at Quick Mart on Saturday, and the assault and robbery of an 18-year-old township man in the Slackwood School parking lot early Sunday, Lawrence Township police are busy investigating four burglaries, two car thefts, and three vehicle break-ins that occurred in recent days. Lt. Charles Edgar, police department spokesman, provided the following details about the crimes. * * * Burglary – Johnson Avenue At 1:14 a.m. on Monday, May 14, a 35-year-old township resident called police to report that he had just returned home and discovered that while he was out someone had burglarized his apartment in the Eggerts Crossing Village complex in the 100 block of Johnson Avenue. Stolen were …
The store clerk who called 911, claiming he had just been robbed by a masked, knife-wielding man, has been charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery and theft, Lawrence Township police have confirmed.
A second person has been arrested and charged in connection with Saturday evening’s armed robbery of a convenience store – and that second suspect, according to Lawrence Township police, is the store employee who called 911 to report the crime. Dipen Patel, 24, of the 100 block of Fountayne Lane, Lawrence Township, was arrested Sunday and charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery and theft, police department spokesman Lt. Charles Edgar announced on Monday. Patel’s arrest follows the arrest of Arjuna Sathianathan, 23, of Brooklyn, N.Y., within minutes of the holdup at the Quick Mart store at Lawrence Square Boulevard South and Quakerbridge Road. Sathianathan has been charged with armed robbery, theft, unlawful possession of a weapon, …
Monday, May 14, 2012
A Lawrence Township police officer since 2004, Marc Poveromo has also worked as a firefighter and emergency medical technician. He is a graduate of Notre Dame High School and Rutgers University.
Marc Poveromo has battled blazes as a firefighter and saved lives as an emergency medical technician. But that’s not all. He’s also one of the men and women who, as Lawrence Township police officers, patrol our streets to help keep us safe. It’s in that latter role that he is currently being honored. He has been named Lawrence Township’s 2012 Police Officer of the Year, a recognition awarded to him by a panel of his peers on the police department. Poveromo will be recognized by Lawrence Township Council at the start of tomorrow’s council meeting and a banquet will be held in his honor on June 4. Tomorrow’s proceedings coincide with National Police Week, an annual observance since President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation in 1962 …
Sunday, May 13, 2012
The 18-year-old victim sought medical treatment at a Trenton hospital for injuries he claims he suffered when he was attacked from behind, beaten, and robbed early Sunday morning in the Slackwood Elementary School parking lot.
Update, May 14: Lt. Charles Edgar, police department spokesman, said the 18-year-old victim was released from the hospital after being treated for injuries to his head and face. The victim told police his assailants grabbed his wallet, removed $20, and tossed the wallet on the ground before fleeing, Edgar said. He said the circumstances of the crime remain under investigation. Original Story, 5:20 p.m. May 13: A Lawrence Township teenager has told police that he was attacked from behind, beaten and robbed as he walked through the parking lot of Slackwood Elementary School early this morning (Sunday, May 13). The 18-year-old was treated today at a hospital in Trenton; his injuries were not considered life-threatening, township police Sgt…
Ted
7:50 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012
How about we get rid of " Council?". In the real world, if you mismanage a budget, you get held accountable for it... Stop spending and then blaming it on other things, and we won't need to make excuses for getting rid of peoples livelihoods. more ›