No Charges For Driver In Deadly Route 37 Pedestrian Crash: Toms River Police No Charges For Driver In Deadly Route 37 Pedestrian Crash: Toms River Police
No Charges For Driver In Deadly Route 37 Pedestrian Crash: Toms River Police A 56-year-old Ocean County Man was killed after he was struck by a vehicle while crossing Route 37 on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 4., authorities said. At 9:02 p.m., a 2021 Honda Civic driven by a Barnegat man was traveling westbound on Route 37, when it hit Jason Matthews, an Island Heights resident, as he was crossing the roadway, Toms River police said. As a result of the crash, Matthews was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River where he was pronounced dead, police said.  Multiple lanes of Route 37 were shut down for several hours while the investigation …
Former Lacey HS Track Star Jailed On Murder Charges Former Lacey HS Track Star Jailed On Murder Charges
Former Lacey HS Track Star Jailed On Murder Charges A 20-year-old former track star at Lacey Township High School now faces murder charges, records show. Javir Askew-Mayweather was jailed on Tuesday, Feb. 4, according to the Ocean County Department of Corrections website. He faces charges of murder and attempted murder, according to the website. A spokesperson for the county prosecutor's office said the Toms River Police Department is handling the investigation. While at Lacey Township High School, Askew-Mayweather was one of the school's top runners, ranking near the top of the school record book in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, …
2 Inches Of Snow Possible In Parts Of NJ As Mid-Week Winter Storm Approaches 2 Inches Of Snow Possible In Parts Of NJ As Mid-Week Winter Storm Approaches
2 Inches Of Snow Possible In Parts Of NJ As Mid-Week Winter Storm Approaches New Jersey is bracing for a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain starting Wednesday night into Thursday, bringing slick roads and slippery conditions across the region. According to the National Weather Service, snow totals will vary by location. Towns in northwestern New Jersey, such as Wantage and Morristown, could see 1 to 2 inches of snow and sleet accumulation.  Areas farther south and along the coast, including Toms River and Atlantic City, are expected to see less than an inch before the wintry mix transitions to rain. Snow will begin late Wednesday evening, Feb. 5, and…
Surgeon Dies After Medical Episode On Garden State Parkway In Lakewood: NJSP Surgeon Dies After Medical Episode On Garden State Parkway In Lakewood: NJSP
Surgeon Dies After Medical Episode On Garden State Parkway In Lakewood: Njsp A 54-year-old Toms River surgeon died following a medical episode while driving on the Garden State Parkway in Ocean County on Thursday, Jan. 30, authorities said. At 7:10 a.m., Dr. Jarrod Kaufman was driving a Tesla Model Y northbound on the Garden State Parkway in Lakewood Township, when his vehicle veered off the roadway into a briar patch, Chares Marchan, a spokesman for the New Jersey State Police said.  Kaufman sustained a medical episode and was pronounced dead at the scene, Marchan said. Born in 1970, Kaufman was a graduate of Lehigh University before earning his medical degree fro…
25 Years For Woman Who Killed, Dismembered Toms River Man: Prosecutor 25 Years For Woman Who Killed, Dismembered Toms River Man: Prosecutor
25 Years For Woman Who Killed, Dismembered Toms River Man: Prosecutor A 29-year-old Seaside Heights woman was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Friday, Jan. 31 after pleading guilty to killing a Toms River man whose body was dismembered, authorities said. Elizabeth Mascarelli, 29, pleaded guilty in December to aggravated manslaughter, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. She was among four people charged in the killing of Kerry Rollason, 56.  Maxwell Johnston, a 35-year-old Manchester Township man, was originally suspected of killing Rollason in his Ravenwood Drive home on Wednesday, July 3. Johnston had been wanted in the separate killi…
Toms River Mom Of 5, Model Dies After 3-Year Cancer Battle: Remembering Tina Vasile Toms River Mom Of 5, Model Dies After 3-Year Cancer Battle: Remembering Tina Vasile
Toms River Mom Of 5, Model Dies After 3-Year Cancer Battle: Remembering Tina Vasile Tina Vasile, a mother of five from Toms River, passed away on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, after a three-year battle with ovarian cancer, according to her obituary on the Ocean County Cremation Service website. She was 45 years old. Born in Lakewood, Tina was known for her love of life, glamorous style, and deep devotion to her children, her obituary reads. A former model and actress, Tina had a passion for fashion, makeup, and music, never turning down an opportunity for a concert or a night out. Tina Vasile  Tina Vasile Facebook photo Tina Vasile Tina Vasile Faceb…
'Spirit Lives On': Kris VanBuskirk, Howell Resident, Killed In Car Crash: Authorities 'Spirit Lives On': Kris VanBuskirk, Howell Resident, Killed In Car Crash: Authorities
'Spirit Lives On': Kris VanBuskirk, Howell Resident, Killed In Car Crash: Authorities A 26-year-old Howell resident, died on Wednesday, Jan. 22 after sustaining injuries in a car crash on Monday, Jan. 20, authorities said. At 11:01 a.m., a 2024 Black Kia Forte, driven by Kris VanBuskirk, collided with a 2012 Ford F-250 on Route 34 and Airport Blvd. in Wall Township, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said. The driver of the F-250 remained on scene while VanBuskirk was hospitalized, authorities said. VanBuskirk is remembered for his love of life, the kind of man who could turn a trip to the grocery store into a memorable escapade, according to his obituary from Silv…
'Cancel Culture Coleslaw:' Toms River Restaurant Apologizes For 'Proud Boys Burger' 'Cancel Culture Coleslaw:' Toms River Restaurant Apologizes For 'Proud Boys Burger'
'Cancel Culture Coleslaw:' Toms River Restaurant Apologizes For 'Proud Boys Burger' A New Jersey restaurant has found itself at the center of a controversy after a menu item titled the "Proud Boys Burger" sparked widespread outrage on social media.  Aqua Blu Kitchen & Cocktails on Route 37 in Toms River has since issued multiple apologies and taken action in response to the backlash. The burger, described as featuring “white American cheese, onion ring layers of truth, resilience pickles, freedom fries, cancel culture coleslaw, and liberty sauce,” was posted on social media by a customer, igniting immediate criticism. Many took issue with the apparent reference to…
Man Pleads Guilty In Toms River Drive-By Shooting: Prosecutor Man Pleads Guilty In Toms River Drive-By Shooting: Prosecutor
Man Pleads Guilty In Toms River Drive-By Shooting: Prosecutor A 20-year-old Toms River man pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Jan. 21 to shooting another man in the leg last June, authorities said. On Wednesday, June 12 at 11:30 p.m., Toms River police responded to a residence on Adams Avenue and found a 24-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the leg, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said.  The victim was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment of his injuries; he was treated and subsequently released, Billhimer said. An investigation determined Anthony Brown retrieved a handgun and fired two shots at…
Arctic Blast Will Follow Snow Showers Across NJ With Temps We Haven't Seen In Years, NWS Says Arctic Blast Will Follow Snow Showers Across NJ With Temps We Haven't Seen In Years, NWS Says
Arctic Blast Will Follow Snow Showers Across NJ With Temps We Haven't Seen In Years, NWS Says Light snow showers are forecast to begin Thursday afternoon, Jan. 16 across parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, potentially creating slippery conditions during the evening commute, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).  A Hazardous Weather Outlook has been issued for several northeast New Jersey counties, including Passaic, Hudson, Bergen, Essex, and Union, with snowfall set to begin after 4 p.m. Most areas are expected to see less than one inch of snow, though localized accumulations of up to two inches are possible in parts of eastern Pennsylvania near and north of …
Two More Plead Guilty For Role In Grisly Toms River Dismemberment: Ocean County Prosecutor Two More Plead Guilty For Role In Grisly Toms River Dismemberment: Ocean County Prosecutor
Two More Plead Guilty For Role In Grisly Toms River Dismemberment: Ocean County Prosecutor A 42-year-old Barnegat woman and a 36-year-old Manchester man are the latest to plead guilty for their part in the killing and dismemberment of 56-year-old Kerry Rollason, a Toms River resident last July, authorities said. Danielle Bolstad pled guilty to desecration of human remains while Jared Palumbo pled guilty to hindering apprehension on Monday, Jan. 13. Both are expected to be sentenced to probation per the terms of a plea agreement, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. Investigators said Rollason was killed by 35-year-old Maxwell Johnston of Manchester Township at a h…
Missing Toms River Man Found Floating In Water At Park: Prosecutor Missing Toms River Man Found Floating In Water At Park: Prosecutor
Missing Toms River Man Found Floating In Water At Park: Prosecutor A 52-year-old Toms River man was found dead at Shelter Cove Park on the afternoon on Sunday, Jan. 12, authorities said. At 3:05 p.m., police responded to Shelter Cove Park on a report of a dead body in the water adjacent to the coastal marsh, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. The body of Deane Labranche was found floating in the water, Billhimer said. Labranche was removed from the water and transported to Community Medical Center pending a post-mortem examination, Billhimer said. According to his sister, Brooke Spurlock, Labranche's car was found abandoned at the p…