COCONUT CREEK, FL – A 58-year-old man was arrested for alleged drunken driving after causing a car crash on Sample Road in Coconut Creek, a police report said.
Darrawn Wilson, of Margate, was charged with four DUI-related charges in the two-car crash in the 4700 block of Sample Road on March 17, the report said.
Police determined Wilson caused the crash that resulted in the other driver being taken to HCA Florida Northwest Hospital in Margate for pain to his side, the report said.
Wilson smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot and watery eyes, and was unsteady on his feet, the report said.
He told police he had a beer at a friend’s home before he got into his Mercedes-Benz and drove off, the report said.
The crash caused more than $30,000 in damage to both cars and a street sign, the report said.
(Our Law & Justice section is sponsored by Rader Law Group, a Coral Springs-based personal injury and commercial litigation law firm.
Injured in car crash? Hurt in a slip and fall accident? Read here how the firm recently recovered $100,000 for a client in car crash.
Your Justice Starts Here. Contact the firm: raderlawgroup.com. For free consultation, call: 954-654-7661)
MORE COCONUT CREEK NEWS
GOVERNMENT: Coconut Creek Elected Leaders Set Public Safety as Top City Spending Priority for Next Fiscal Year
FOOD & DRINK: Kroger Shuts Down South Florida Delivery Operations
POLICE & FIRE: Crash Shuts Down Florida's Turnpike Sunday in Coconut Creek, Sends Woman to Hospital
MAINSTREET AT COCONUT CREEK: Traffic Roundabout Proposed at MainStreet at Coconut Creek Development
]]>HOBOKEN, NJ - A Hoboken man was arrested and charged with murder following a triple shooting earlier this month in which one was killed, and two others were injured, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office (HCPO) has announced.
The HCPO’s Homicide Unit arrested 36-year-old Joseph Del Valle, at an address on Summit Avenue in Jersey City on Tuesday in connection with the triple shooting that occurred in Jersey City on Saturday, March 9th. He was transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending his first court appearance, the HCPO said.
Del Valle was charged with murder as well as two counts of aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes.
Officers from the Jersey City Police Department had arrived at the crime scene on Jordan Avenue between Mercer Street and Vroom Street just before 6:30 a.m. on March 9th.
According to the HCPO, three male victims were self-transported to Jersey City Medical Center. Christoph Terrero Marte, 33, of Jersey City, was pronounced dead at approximately 7:35 a.m. Two additional victims, a 28-year-old Union City male and a 31-year-old Jersey City male, were treated for injuries that are non-life threatening.
Additionally, Francisco Salcedo, 42, of Jersey City, was charged with Aggravated Assault, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose. He was arrested on March 11, 2024 at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Secaucus. The State’s Motion for Detention was granted by Judge Paul DePascale on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
]]>CORAL SPRINGS, FL - A 21-year-old Coral Springs man was arrested for attempted murder after he allegedly smoked a “THC vape pen,” took off his clothing, and then stabbed his mother and father, a police report said.
It happened Saturday night after Alexander Figueroa and his cousin smoked marijuana, the report said.
That’s when Figueroa's behavior took a drastic turn, the report said: he started acting aggressively and left his cousin to roam the neighborhood while yelling.
Figueroa's mom and cousin were worried, so they went to find him.
The two were able to get him into their car to go home, but Figueroa began to act erratically and tried to kick out the car windows, the report said.
When they got back to the house, Figueroa stabbed his mother, then attacked his father when he tried to intervene, the report said.
When Figueroa went after their dog, his mother managed to run to a neighbor's house and called 911.
The father had severe cuts to his stomach and right arm, while the mother suffered a significant head injury, the report said.
Police found a knife in front of the house, and footage from a neighbor's surveillance camera corroborated what happened, the report said.
According to his family, Figueroa had been showing signs of mental instability for some time, the report said.
He was charged with attempted felony murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
He remained Thursday at Broward County Jail, held on no bond for the attempted murder charge and $1,500 bond for the aggravated battery charge.
(Our Law & Justice section is sponsored by Rader Law Group, a Coral Springs-based personal injury and commercial litigation law firm.
Injured in car crash? Hurt in a slip and fall accident? Read here how the firm recently recovered $100,000 for a client in car crash.
Your Justice Starts Here. Contact the firm: raderlawgroup.com. For free consultation, call: 954-654-7661)
MORE CORAL SPRINGS NEWS:
FOOD & DRINK: Kroger Shuts Down South Florida Delivery Operations
LAW & JUSTICE: Coral Springs Police Officer Injured While Trying to Arrest Reckless 18-Year-Old Bicyclist
FOOD & DRINK: Korean Restaurant, The NAMU Korean Japanese Kitchen and Izakaya, Became Instagram Foodie Sensation in Coral Springs
BUSINESS & FINANCE: Best Buy Store in Margate Has Closed, Indicating Challenges Facing Retail Stores
]]>MORRIS COUNTY, NJ - Applications for the 2024 Morris County Public Safety Youth Academy program is now open. The program is open to all Morris County high school students entering grades 9-12 in the Fall of 2024.
The program is free and will take place from July 22 to July 26.
Applications are being accepted until April 19, 2024.
This uniquely designed program provides cadets with intensive, specially designed training and hands-on experience in the fields of Police, Fire, EMS, and Emergency Management.
For more information visit: https://morrisoem.wixsite.com/mcpsya?fbclid=IwAR1BiFhwTb1r3bewe0C-N5E96KsqBTXB3F7pefPPY_b6RADfzjMVWrdVQ7o
]]>TRENTON, N.J. – Gerard Beauzile, 63, of South Plainfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before former Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson to an indictment charging him with one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp imposed the sentence on March 26, 2024, in Trenton federal court. Beauzile has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for his involvement in a scheme to embezzle $2.37 million from his employer while serving as the company’s controller, announced U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
According to court documents and statements made in court:
Between 2014 and December 2020, Beauzile abused his position as controller of a New York-based company to embezzle funds by issuing fraudulent company checks to himself and depositing them into his personal bank account. Beauzile issued approximately 140 company checks to himself totaling $2.37 million. To conceal the theft, Beauzile falsely recorded the fraudulent checks in the company’s accounting system under various vendor names, making it appear as though the payments were made to legitimate company vendors instead of to Beauzile himself. He also fabricated vendor invoices to match the entries in the accounting system and altered company bank statements by manipulating balances, check payments, and transfers between accounts.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Beauzile to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $2.37 million and forfeit the same amount.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger acknowledged the efforts of special agents from the FBI, led by Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine in Newark, for their work on the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake Coppotelli of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit represented the government in the case.
]]>TRENTON, NJ - Two Elizabeth residents and an Elizabeth-based business are among a group accused of a decade-long conspiracy to defraud the taxpayer-funded New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Fund of over $700,000.
Marlene Souza-Sales, 45, and Stephanie Andrade, 36, both of Elizabeth and S&N Household Management LLC were indicted on charges of conspiracy, theft by deception, misapplication of government property, tampering with public records, falsifying or tampering with records, and official misconduct following an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).
The indictment claims the defendants stole public money from the TBI fund by claiming their businesses provided vendor services to beneficiaries for 10 years, starting in 2009, according to a news release Friday from the Attorney General’s Office.
“This taxpayer-supported fund helps people challenged by long-term impairments resulting from a traumatic brain injury,” said Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. “Stealing from that fund, as the defendants allegedly did, not only takes advantage of taxpayers but also victimizes the injured who need help.”
The TBI Fund provides victims of traumatic brain injuries with services and support, including therapy, home modifications, medications, and home maintenance. They also assist with meeting needs not covered by insurance, personal finances, or other programs.
“As alleged in the indictment, these defendants did not work for this money. All they did was fraudulently work the system,” said Thomas J. Eicher, Executive Director of OPIA. “This indictment should serve as a warning to anyone who would abuse public resources for personal gain at the expense of community members in need.”
In addition to those accused with connections to Elizabeth, four other individuals and another business were also indicted:
• Maria Sirange Viana DeSouza, 48, of Newark
• Patricia Souza Lima, 36, of Newark
• Estela Marisol Zapata, 46, of Edison
• Clara Rincon, 48, of the Bronx, New York
• Marlene’s Cleaning Service LLC, founded in 2018 and based in Newark
NEWARK, NJ - A member of the notorious MS-13 clique operating out of Hudson County was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a gang-related murder plot, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, announced.
Jose Gimenez-Lobos, aka “Infernal,” aka “Terrible,” 33, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court to his role in a failed May 2015 plot to kill a member of a rival gang. Judge Cecchi ordered that the sentence imposedrun concurrently to the 40-year sentence Gimenez-Lobos received in the Eastern District of Virginia for his role in a November 2014 murder that he committed on behalf of MS-13.
“This defendant has already amassed a history of death and mayhem on behalf of MS-13, a gang well-known for its appetite for violence,” Sellinger said. “There is no place in our communities for this wanton disregard of life. Gimenez-Lobos will remain behind bars for most of the remainder of his life, which is the punishment he has brought down on his own head.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court Gimenez-Lobos and fellow MS-13 gang members conspired to kill a member of the rival 18th Street gang from the Maryland/Virginia area. The plot involved a female associate of MS-13 who befriended the victim and then lured him to New Jersey so that MS-13 members could execute him.
The victim arrived in Hudson County on May 25, 2015. A high-ranking MS-13 member ordered three other MS-13 members, including Gimenez-Lobos, to carry out the murder.
When their initial attempts to contact the victim did not go as planned, the MS-13 members decided to secure a room for the victim at a local motel and offered to transport him back to the Maryland/Virginia area the following day. At their clique leader’s direction, the MS-13 members agreed to stab the victim to death at some point during the trip, and then dispose of the body.
The murder was foiled the following day when the victim – sensing that the MS-13 members planned to harm him – jumped from the vehicle outside a tollbooth on the way to the Maryland/Virginia area. The MS-13 members later received beatings for failing to kill the rival 18th Street gang member.
“Many violent street gangs focus on crimes to make money and use violence as a way to defend their so-called turf,” FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “For MS-13, they use their criminal behavior as a means to perpetuate violence simply for the sake of violence. Gimenez-Lobos sent his minions after a rival gang member, but having failed to carry out his plan, he then had them savagely beaten. The brutality and total disregard for human life is the point.”
]]>WATCHUNG, NJ - Lawrence Law Divorce & Family Lawyers proudly celebrates the exceptional recognition of several of its esteemed attorneys in the legal community. The firm is elated to announce that Jeralyn Lawrence, Rita M. Aquilio, Amy Wechsler, and Kristyl Berckes have been honored as 2024 Super Lawyers, showcasing their outstanding legal expertise and dedication to their clients. Additionally, the firm extends heartfelt congratulations to Ashley E. Edwards, Daniel Burton, and Emily Urrico for their well-deserved acknowledgment as Super Lawyers Rising Stars, highlighting their promising careers and commitment to excellence.
Jeralyn Lawrence has been recognized in the Top 100 List for the 11th year in a row and the Top 50 Women List for the 13th year in a row.
These accolades serve as a testament to the exceptional legal prowess and unwavering dedication exemplified by Jeralyn Lawrence, Rita M. Aquilio, Amy Wechsler, and Kristyl Berckes. Furthermore, the recognition of Ashley E. Edwards, Daniel Burton, and Emily Urrico as Super Lawyers Rising Stars underscores their burgeoning careers and commitment to excellence in the legal field. Their remarkable talents and steadfast dedication position them as trailblazers within the legal community, poised to make enduring contributions for years to come. Additionally, Jeralyn Lawrence's inclusion in the esteemed Top 100 and Top 50 Women Lists further underscores her remarkable achievements and leadership within the legal profession, solidifying her status as an exemplary figure in the field.
The Super Lawyers list is issued by Thomson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology information can be found here. No aspect of this material has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Lawrence Law Divorce & Family Lawyers is located at 744 Mountain Blvd. in Watchung. Visit their website www.lawlawfirm.com. Should you have any inquiries or require assistance, contact 908.645.1000.
]]>NEWARK — Discrimination in housing is not a new issue, but state officials said they’re rolling out new ways to curb it, something they want to educate Newarkers about.
In January, the state Attorney General’s Office, which oversees the Division on Civil Rights, announced an initiative to address systemic and persistent inequalities in real estate appraisals, which play a key role in the home buying and refinancing process.
During an upcoming online event to be hosted by the NAACP’s Newark Branch next month, attendees can learn how the state Division on Civil Rights uses New Jersey’s anti-discrimination law to protect against systemic racism related to housing and employment, organizers announced.
“One of the things that has come to our attention is the systemic racism that is embedded in how houses are appraised in Black neighborhoods as opposed to other neighborhoods, and the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights has done some extensive work on housing appraisals,” Deborah Smith Gregory, president of the NAACP Newark Branch, told TAPinto Newark. “So they will educate the public about their findings as well as help the community to understand the role of New Jersey’s Division on Civil Rights as it relates to housing and employment.”
Officials from the state Division on Civil Rights will speak during the NAACP’s Thursday, April 11, general meeting, which is to be livestreamed from the civil rights organization’s Facebook page at 6:30 p.m. Sundeep Iyer, director of the state Division on Civil Rights, and Aarin Michele Williams, deputy director of the state Division on Civil Rights, are scheduled to speak, organizers said.
“They’ll talk about what people can do and give people tools that they can use when conducting house appraisals,” Smith Gregory said. “This housing crisis — and that’s exactly what it is — is really a phenomenon in New Jersey.”
A recent report by the Newark-based New Jersey Institute for Social Justice found significant gaps in homeownership between people of color and White people.
White homeownership in 19 of New Jersey’s 21 counties exceeds 70%. In a significant contrast, Black and Latino homeownership rates in about two-thirds of counties are under 50%, the NJISJ report found. Locally, that disparity is even wider, the report says.
In Essex County, where most people are of color, there are more White home-owning households than Black and Latino home-owning households combined, the report said.
In Newark, housing has been a key issue as the city grapples with a shortage of available low-income and affordable units, landlord accountability and a housing authority that fell into “troubled” status under a former executive director.
Long an issue, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Philip Sellinger addressed the topic of redlining during a recent forum in Newark.
“Progress has been uneven, and it's also been slow,” Sellinger said. “It does not mask the reality that redlining is happening in New Jersey, today, and it's happening right here in Newark. Achieving the American dream should be color-blind. Redlining is racist, pure and simple, and New Jersey will not tolerate that kind of intentional and systemic discrimination.”
In Brief
The NAACP’s Thursday, April 11, general meeting, is to be livestreamed from the civil rights organization’s Facebook page at 6:30 p.m. Officials from the state Division on Civil Rights will discuss discrimination in housing and employment. For more information, call 973-624-6400, email info@naacpnewark.org visit www.naacpnewark.org.
]]>PATERSON, NJ - Three Paterson police officers, Giuseppe Ciarla, Juan Cruz-Fernandez, and Jason Scmid, 34, have been arrested and charged following an incident in December 2022 during which they reportedly failed to conduct a proper investigation involving a report of domestic violence against a New York Police Department Officer (NYPD), Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes announced.
The NYPD officer in question, identified as Hariton Marachilian, was later charged with Kidnapping and Aggravated Assault.
According to a statement, on December 10, 2022, the police officers responded to a report of a domestic assault. Allegations suggest that despite visible injuries to the victim's face and Marachilian identifying himself as a Captain with the NYPD, the officers failed to adequately investigate the incident.
The officers reportedly did not treat or seek treatment for the victim's injuries, nor did they collect physical evidence. Moreover, the subsequent police report is said to have misrepresented the nature of the incident, stating there was no evidence of domestic violence, despite indications to the contrary.
The trio face charges, including Second Degree Official Misconduct, Conspiracy to Commit Official Misconduct, and Hindering the Apprehension of Another. Additionally, Cruz-Fernandez faces a Third-Degree charge of Tampering With Public Records or Information. If convicted, the accused could face significant prison time, with Second-Degree crimes carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years and Third-Degree crimes carrying a maximum sentence of five years in New Jersey State Prison.
]]>
MONMOUTH COUNTY– TAPinto previously reported that a couple was found dead in their residence last week in Keyport, NJ. According to a report issued today by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office; the husband and wife died as a result of a murder-suicide.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced this news today:
On Tuesday morning, March 19, members of the Keyport Police Department responded to a residence on Chingarora Avenue after receiving a request for a wellness check. Upon arrival, responding officers found the victim, Ekaterina Kalyapina, 37, and her husband Ilya Gagin, 39, both deceased. Two small dogs were located within the residence, unharmed.
The MCSPCA was contacted, responded, and took custody of the dogs.
An autopsy conducted by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed the cause and manner of death for the pair were homicide and suicide, respectively.
Anyone with information about this matter is urged to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Michael Donovan, III, or Keyport Sergeant Joseph Rendina, at 732-264-0706.
If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic abuse/sexual assault, there is hope and help. You can start with a confidential call to 180 Turning Lives Around, visit HERE. If you or anyone you know may be at risk for suicide, there is help and hope, dial 988 from your phone and speak to a confidential counselor.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.
]]>CORAL SPRINGS, FL - A Coral Springs police officer was injured after stopping an 18-year-old bicyclist who authorities say was riding recklessly through traffic.
According to a police report, David Williams of Coral Springs was riding his bike around University Drive and Sample Road without front- or back-lights at midnight on March 14.
When an officer in a patrol car attempted to stop him multiple times using sirens and verbal commands, Williams allegedly continued riding and even rode through the Burger King parking lot at Sample Road and Coral Springs Drive to evade police, the report said.
Other officers joined the pursuit, and one managed to pull up to Williams, grabbing his bicycle to stop him, the report said.
During this attempt, the officer was injured when the bicycle hit his leg, resulting in a severe contusion and cut, the report said.
Williams resisted arrest and expressed confusion regarding the reason for his detainment, the report said.
Despite officers' attempts to stop him, Williams allegedly remained verbally and physically combative, refusing to provide identification and reiterating his lack of understanding regarding the situation, the report said.
Williams was arrested and charged with battery on an officer, resisting an officer, and riding a bicycle without proper lighting.
The injured officer received medical treatment and was released.
(Our Law & Justice section is sponsored by Rader Law Group, a Coral Springs-based personal injury and commercial litigation law firm.
Injured in car crash? Hurt in a slip and fall accident? Read here how the firm recently recovered $100,000 for a client in car crash.
Your Justice Starts Here. Contact the firm: raderlawgroup.com. For free consultation, call: 954-654-7661)
MORE CORAL SPRINGS NEWS:
FOOD & DRINK: Korean Restaurant, The NAMU Korean Japanese Kitchen and Izakaya, Became Instagram Foodie Sensation in Coral Springs
BUSINESS & FINANCE: Best Buy Store in Margate Has Closed, Indicating Challenges Facing Retail Stores
FOOD & DRINK: New Farm-to-Table Restaurant Coming to New Cornerstone Development in Coral Springs
]]>