MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County is embarking on a countywide upgrade to curve warning signs along county roads that are located within all of the county’s 39 municipalities to meet federal government standards.
Work is expected to begin in August and continue into December to upgrade a curve sign network that, in many cases, dates back to the 1950s and 1960s, and was installed by the state Department of Transportation.
Morris County has awarded a $297,953 contract to LC Equipment of Tuckahoe to remove 2,121 existing curve warning signs and install nearly 2,800 new signs and signposts at 870 horizontal curves located on county roads.
The project is required by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which has set a nationwide compliance date of Dec. 31, 2019 to meet new curve sign standards. The project will be funded by county tax dollars.
To prepare a plan for the sign upgrade, the county previously hired a consultant, Greenman-Pedersen (GPI).
The $176,997 contract required GPI’s team to drive all of the county’s roads to assess curves and determine appropriate advisory speed and sign placement in accordance with the new federal standards.
Changes in roadway design and consideration of modern motor vehicles were key factors in the development of the new standards.
GPI also will oversee the sign removal and installation project and inventory the newly installed signs for the county.
To see which signs are being added or replaced in your town click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Three Morris County Sheriff’s Office superior officers, two of whom helped probe some of the county’s most heinous or baffling crimes, retired as of Wednesday, July 31 with 75 years of experience between them.
The retirees, Sheriff’s Office Chief Edward Crooker, Detective Captain Bruce Dunn and Detective Lieutenant Philip DiGavero, all joined the Morris County Sheriff’s Office on July 18, 1994, as Corrections Officers who worked in the Correctional Facility and several years later transferred to the Bureau of Law Enforcement.
Chief Crooker spent nearly his entire career, 19 years, in the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Unit. Detective Captain Dunn worked in the Protective Services Division and for many years in CSI, the unit that is responsible for collecting and analyzing evidence amassed from crimes throughout Morris County’s 39 municipalities.
Detective Lieutenant DiGavero is credited with overseeing the Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit at one time, helping to electronically modernize evidence storage, and arranging with the Rockaway-based Prevention Is Key program (PIK) to have expired medication drop-off boxes at police departments that are collected, inventoried and destroyed by the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Evidence Unit.
“These three Morris County Sheriff’s Office superior officers have served the county and the office with class and distinction by pouring their minds, hearts and souls into investigations and serving the public with integrity. I am proud to know them and to have worked beside them, and I wish them the best in the years ahead,” Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon said.
The three retirees all worked in the now-demolished Morris County jail that was replaced by a new facility that opened in Morris Township in 2000. Chief Crooker recalled how he also worked in the 1990s as a CSI detective in a dilapidated building on Washington Street in Morristown and then in another location before a state-of-the-art crime lab that today is the base of operations for CSI was opened in 2013.
Both Detective Captain Dunn and Chief Crooker worked in CSI on the investigation and successful prosecution of the killer of 10-year-old Walter Contreras Valenzuela in Morristown in May 2001. Chief Crooker matched a garden cultivator found near the child’s body to wounds on his head while Detective Captain Dunn located multiple items of evidence at the crime scene that gave detectives insight into the child’s final moments.
A friend of the Valenzuela family wrote a moving letter in 2008 that praised then-Sergeant Dunn’s involvement in the probe and trial.
“I feel his work was phenomenal and done in such a professional manner that his investigation was never questioned. I cannot express in words how important he is to the Valenzuela family and those that love them. Without his skills we know that perhaps there may have been a different outcome in the trial. We are eternally grateful to him and feel very blessed to know that we are under the protection of the very competent Morris County Sheriff’s Department,” the friend wrote.
Detective Captain Dunn also had the ingenious idea of lifting fingerprints from a decayed body found in 2002 that involved soaking the skin in glycerol for 24 hours and placing the skin over a detective’s fingers and rolling for prints. The prints of the deceased woman were on file in the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, which led to her identification.
“I’m very lucky to have had a good career,” Detective Captain Dunn said.
Besides cases of bank robberies, fatal crashes, robberies and other crimes, both Detective Captain Dunn and Chief Crooker worked on the high-profile 2002 double murders of Jeffrey Eresman and Erik Rewoldt at the Funcoland video game store in Roxbury, and assisted federal officials in executing search warrants after the largest mass murder through acts of terrorism in America on Sept. 11, 2001.
Chief Crooker worked on multiple major crimes, including the killing of Father Edward Hinds in 2009 in Chatham Borough, but he has never forgotten a simple event that ended well. He was called out to process the scene of what a homeowner thought was a burglary but Chief Crooker, then a CSI detective, was able to find the woman’s missing ring under a bed.
Chief Crooker thanked Sheriff James Gannon for his responsiveness and support of officers and detectives.
“The resources he gives us are second to none,” said Chief Crooker.
Detective Lieutenant DiGavero, who also worked in the Sheriff’s Office Warrants Section and Protective Services Division which oversees security at the Morris County courthouse, said he is honored to have worked with many exceptional people.
He said he is proud of helping to organize the storage of evidence from crime scenes, which is managed electronically through a program called BEAST, for Bar-Coded Evidence Analysis Statistical Tracking.
“I’ll miss everybody. It’s been a real honor,” Detective Lieutenant DiGavero said.
MORRIS COuNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Acting Chief of Investigations Chris Kimker, Morris County Sheriff James Gannon and Public Safety Director Daniel DeGroot and Chief Anthony Smith of the Dover Police Department announce an investigation into a deceased person found in Dover.
On Thursday, August 1, law enforcement received information regarding a deceased male in a wooded area near a culdesac at the end of West Clinton Street in Dover.
Morris County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit processed the scene and the investigation confirmed that a deceased male’s body was located in the woods in close proximity to a homeless campsite. An autopsy was performed by the Morris County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause and manner of death are pending. The investigation remains ongoing and the identity of the individual will not be released at this time.
If anyone has any information related to this investigation, they are encouraged to call the Major Crimes Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6200, or the Dover Police Department at (973) 539-0777.
Sheriff Gannon also reminds the public that information can also be reported anonymously to the Morris County Sheriff’s Crimestoppers at (973) 267-2255 or click here.
MORRIS COUNTY —For those who dream of building a business in the landscaping industry, County College of Morris (CCM) offers a number of pathways to make that possible through its Department of Landscape and Horticultural Technology (LHT).
Degrees and certificates are offered in Agribusiness, Landscape Management and Design, and Turf and Turfgrass Management. The Landscape Management and Design track is the most popular, according to Brian Oleksak, associate professor and chair of the LHT department.
An average of 85 students enroll in the department each year, keeping class sizes small and professor-student relationships close. “Many students in this department are working part-time landscaping jobs while enrolled,” notes Oleksak. “They tend to be the best students because they are applying what they are learning right away.”
A degree or certificate from CCM’s LHT department allows students to propel a small landscaping business to the next level. Education in cutting-edge technology and practices can transform a small business into one with multiple employees and a highly profitable income stream.
LHT students learn in a setting where science, sustainability and technology all come together. They study and work in a LEED Gold Certified Building in design labs using the latest programming tools. Included among the software students learn is DynaSCAPE, an industry recognized landscape business management program. LHT students also have access to two Kubota sub-compact tractors, a skid-steer and various small-to-mid sized equipment.
Fall Semester courses in the Department of Landscape and Horticulture Technology begin Wednesday, September 4. Classes being offered include Plant Science, Land Plant Identification, Management and Use, Horticulture Computer Application, Landscape Design and Planning I, Plant Pest Management, Landscape Construction and Equipment, and Arboriculture.
PARSIPPANY — Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany President Karen DeChristopher installed new member Erin Hoffman. She was sponsored by Club Member Nicolas Limanov.
Karen DeChristopher said “We welcome Erin to this global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.”
“Kiwanis is something so good that each of us loves to share it. What better way to show our love for our club and our community than to welcome a new members into our club? Today we’re very pleased to welcome Erin to the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany,” said President Karen DeChristopher.
Erin is a 2014 Graduate of Parsippany High School
Erin is an Associate with Certified Financial Services, 600 Parsippany Road, Suite 200. Certified Financial Services educates people to better understand the importance and benefits of holistic financial planning and wealth management as well as secure them with protection to help their plans succeed.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany supports ten K-Kids clubs, Lake Parsippany Elementary School, Eastlake Elementary School, Intervale School, Mt. Tabor Elementary School, Littleton Elementary School, Lake Hiawatha Elementary School, Troy Hills Elementary School, Northvail Elementary School, Knollwood School and Rockaway Meadow Elementary School, two builders clubs, Central Middle School and Brooklawn Middle School; two Key Clubs, Parsippany Hills High School and Parsippany High School and one Aktion Club. In addition, Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany supports a Circle K Club at Seton Hall University.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany raises funds and donates to the Parsippany Food Pantry, Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library, Parsippany PAL Youth Center, Parsippany High School Scholarship Program, Parsippany Hills High School Scholarship Program, Parsippany Child Day Center, Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey, Camp Nejeda, NJ Sharing Network, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of Parsippany, Parsippany Project Graduation, Jersey Battered Women’s Services, Family Promise of Morris County, Parsippany Little League West, Parsippany Little League East to name a few.
For more information on Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, click here. To join online click here.
PARSIPPANY — Miracles USA Taekwondo celebrates the achievements of its elite competition team at the 2019 USA Taekwondo National Championships held in Minneapolis, MN, from June 28 to July 4. The competition team earned a total of ten medals in a variety of Taekwondo disciplines.
Silver Medal
Joshua Aguirre – Board Breaking Division – Individual
Bronze Medals
Kyra Kozar, Liana Gonsalves, and Lura Xu – World Class Senior Division Poomsae – Team
Destinie Nodarse, Erin Block, Laura Rossi – World Class Junior Division Poomsae – Team
Jerrick Li, Alexia Rae Kouletsis, Sabrina Kim, Isaiah Gonsalves, Connie Lee – Freestyle Team
Emma Lee – Youth Division Poomsae – Individual
Julia Cho – Youth Division Poomsae – Individual
Miracles USA Taekwondo also thanks Master Kim’s Taekwondo Institute of Rochester, NY, and KIMA of Hershey, PA, for their collaboration with the Miracles team. Congratulations to their athletes for their medal-winning Poomsae performances with the team.
The Miracles USA Taekwondo competition team is now looking forward to participating in the 2020 USA Taekwondo National Championships, and perhaps the 11th World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Denmark.
Miracles USA Taekwondo is located at Parsippany Shopping Plaza: 374 Route 46.
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department is advising commuters to plan ahead for commuter parking options during the National Night Out Event scheduled for Tuesday, August 6.
The Park and Ride lot located off Baldwin Road at Smith Field, along with the Park and Ride lot on Route 46 East at Smith Field (next to Empire Diner) will be closed between 12:00 Midnight and approximately 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6. The parking areas are being utilized during the event.
Depending on the time you travel and location, below are a few alternate areas you can park and ride the bus:
•Waterview Park and Ride (Route 46 East just past Waterview Boulevard)
•South Beverwyck Road Park and Ride (Corner of Route 46 East and South Beverwyck Road)
•Arlington Plaza Park and Ride (Route 46 West near Wendy’s. The parking lot is next to Wendy’s and has a marker).
National Night Out will be held on Tuesday, August 6 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Parsippany PAL Youth Center and Smith Field. Free Rides, Free Games, Food, Fun, Music, Dunk-A-Cop and Giveaways.
Parking will also be available at St. Peter’s Church, 179 Baldwin Road, with a shuttle running back and forth.
Children are reminded to bring their Police Trading Cards to the event for a chance to win a bicycle.
PARSIPPANY — Four candidates filed petitions for seats on the Parsippany Board of Education by the deadline of Monday, July 29. There are three seats available for the term ending December 31. Board Member Mr. Joseph Cistaro is not seeking re-election. Alison Cogan and Andrew Choffo is seeking re-election.
The election will be held in conjunction with the General Election of 2019 on Tuesday, November 5.
The four candidates seeking election to Parsippany Board of Education are:
Alison Cogan (Incumbent)
Andrew Choffo (Incumbent)
Robert Quinn
Kendra Von Achen
Robert Quinn and Andrew Choffo are running as a team. (Click here).
Von Achen isn’t new to seeking a Board of Education seat. In 2018 she ran for a one-year term against Andrew Choffo and received 4,492 votes, while Choffo received 5,469. This will be the first time Robert Quinn entered the race. Quinn is a graduate of Parsippany High School Class of 2016 and is employed at Foodtown of Lake Hiawatha.
The winners in November 5 election will be sworn in at the Tuesday, January 7, 2020 reorganization meeting.
MORRIS PLAINS — On Saturday, July 27, at approximately 6:45 p.m. three suspects were involved in cutting the power to the Aires Jewelry Store, 3 Harrison Avenue (located on the corner of Route 10 East).
On video, one male is seen checking out the rear of the business before another male and female return, cut the power box lock and shut down the power to the store.
The first male is seen on Harrison Avenue using his cell phone as an apparent lookout.
The suspects leave the property without any attempt to gain access to the store.
Anyone that may have information to contact The Morris County Sheriff’s CrimeStoppers at: www.copcall.org; or call 973-COP-CALL (or use the free “P3 Tips” app on any mobile device). No one will be asked their name. You could receive a reward of up to $1,000.00.
PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills Health Department was notified that a raccoon found on Tarn Drive has tested positive for the Rabies virus.
Rabies is a fatal disease of warm-blooded mammals caused by a virus, most frequently spread through a bite or scratch from an infected animal. An infected animal has the rabies virus in its saliva and infects other animals or people through bites and contact with saliva. Once infected animals become ill, they may bite or attack other animals or people.
Common carriers of the virus are raccoons, skunks, foxes, woodchucks, bats, and feral (stray) cats. You are advised to stay away from wild animals and animals that you do not know. Please DO NOT FEED STRAY ANIMALS. Do not make pets of wild animals. Be certain that your dog is properly licensed, vaccinated and up to date on their rabies vaccination. If you know of any stray cats, or dogs or any other animal in the area acting strangely, please contact the Parsippany Animal Control at (973) 263-7083.
Please keep garbage in a container with a tight fitting lid to prevent attracting animals. Clean up spilled bird seed. Do not leave pet food out for extended time periods.
If you are exposed (either bitten or scratched) by any suspected animal; please act promptly. Immediately wash the bite wound with soap and water and call your physician and the Health Department. If your pet is bitten or in a fight with a wild animal, please contact the Parsippany Health Department at (973) 263-7160 and your Veterinarian.
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Girl Scout Troop 96326 from Troy Hills School enjoyed their ice cream party at The Dairy at Lake Hiawatha together with their leaders Laurie Chowtavi and Luz Lorente.
The troop won First prize in the 2018 scarecrow contest sponsored by the Friends Of Lake Hiawatha.
MORRIS COUNTY — Wegmans Food Markets is now offering families who have young children with mobility restrictions a safer, easier way to grocery shop together with the introduction of a specially adapted cart, the Firefly GoTo Shop. The carts are designed by Leckey, a globally recognized manufacturer of mobility equipment for children and young people, and manufactured together with US cart supplier, Peggs. Wegmans is located at 34 Sylvan Way, Hanover.
Known for providing an exceptional and inclusive customer experience, Wegmans, following a two-store pilot, is the first retailer in the United States to offer the cart in all its stores.
“At Wegmans, we are committed to providing incredible customer service to all our shoppers, and we’re always looking for better ways to make our stores accessible to everyone,” said Wegmans Community Relations Manager Linda Lovejoy. “When Liza Rudroff, a customer at our Alberta Drive store in Buffalo, New York, brought this cart to our attention and shared her family’s need, we recognized that there are more families, throughout all our market areas, who would benefit from the availability of this cart at our stores.”
Rudroff’s daughter, Sydney, has a neurological movement disorder that prevents her from standing or walking. Because Sydney is too big to sit in the front of a regular shopping cart, and too small for other special needs carts, Rudroff found herself planning shopping trips for when a family member could stay with Sydney. When Rudroff learned the GoTo Shop was available in the United States, she approached the Alberta Drive Wegmans management team to see if they would consider offering the cart. Within two months, Wegmans began piloting the GoTo Shop carts at its Alberta Drive and Pittsford, New York, stores.
The GoTo Shop is designed for children ages two through eight (or up to 77 pounds) who require extra postural and head support. The cart features an open front allowing users to easily place their child in the seat, adjustable head and lateral supports, and a fully adjustable, cushioned five-point harness.
“Now, I can comfortably and safely take Syd grocery shopping with me, whether it’s a planned trip or a last-minute decision to stop on the way home from school” said Rudroff. “Going to the store immerses Syd in the community and gives her the opportunity to engage with others, explore the sights and sounds, and learn how to shop. It’s a great life experience for her, that is now effortless and worry-free for me.”
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Wegmans on our journey to make shopping trips more inclusive for all families around the world,” said Firefly managing director Jayne Leckey. “For us it’s not just what we make, it’s what we make possible, and to have a forward-thinking company like Wegmans believe in our campaign is fantastic. We are very proud to call them a partner.”
To learn more about the Firefly GoTo Shop, please visit Firefly’s website. For more information about the specialized services provided at all Wegmans stores please click here.
PARSIPPANY — On July 6 at Key Club International Convention in Baltimore, MD, Kaitlin Cirillo, a rising senior and member of the Parsippany Hills High School Key Club, was elected as the Vice-President of Key Club International.
This is the first time there has been an International Vice President from Parsippany Hills High School.
In her position, Kaitlin will work with the International President on assigning International Trustees to their districts, creating meeting agendas and proposals, and helping plan both next week’s Leadership summit (for District Governors and the International Board) and next year’s Key Club International Convention.
Kaitlin will also serve as Global Outreach Committee Chair where she will assist in forming new districts (Western Canada, Taiwan, and the Philippines) and also work with clubs without a district (in Japan, Europe, and Malaysia).
Kaitlin will also keep in constant contact with governors in all of the US Districts, work with the International Board on all committees, create social media posts, and continue to serve her home club and attend club, NJ District, and international events and service projects.
Kaitlin joined the PHHS Key Club in her freshman year, where she had the highest number of service hours of all freshmen that year.
Her rise began when, in February of her freshman year, she was appointed as Lieutenant Governor (LTG) of NJ Division 21. The following year she ran for and was elected as NJ District Treasurer, and now will serve as IVP until next July.
Along the way, she was awarded the Robert F. Lucas Distinguished LTG award, the Distinguished District Treasurer award, and served on many committees at the division level, all the while being one of the most active members of her home club at Parsippany Hills High School.
Key Club International is the oldest and largest student-led service program for high school students. Key Club promotes leadership through serving others. Key Club members around the world are learning how to lead and stand for what’s right through service and volunteerism. In partnership with their local Kiwanis club, high school students are making a positive impact as they serve others in their schools and communities.
All of the members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany are so proud of Kaitlin’s many accomplishments. “Sponsored Youth” programs are the major focus of Kiwanis’ mission and in Parsippany we sponsor clubs in every school; K-Kids in every elementary school, Builders Club in both middle schools and Key Clubs in both High Schools. The leadership and community service opportunities that these clubs provide help prepare our young people to become ambassadors for our community, Katilin is a great example.
PARSIPPANY — A group of former Parsippany-Troy Hills Rotarians and a whole bunch of prospective members are meeting every other Tuesday morning at the Parsippany IHOP, 792 Route 46. The purpose of their bi-monthly get-togethers – to rekindle the flame of the defunct Parsippany-Troy Hills Rotary Club.
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Rotary Club, a long standing vital organization in Parsippany, gave up its charter two years ago after a long struggle to maintain a viable membership. Over the past several decades, the club has made significant contributions to the people of Parsippany through scholarships, sponsorship of many youth programs and support of various local and international charitable projects.
As part of the process of re-establishing itself, the new club will be nurtured under the wings of the Morris Plains Rotary Club as a “Satellite Club” of the neighboring group. Chairman of the Parsippany Satellite Rotary Club is Venkat Bijala.
The public is invited to join them at their bi-monthly meeting.
For further information about the club, contact Rotary District 7475 Deputy Governor Marc Lebowitz at marcleb@yahoo.com or (973) 476-7354.
To learn more about Rotary in your community click here.
PARSIPPANY — Crunch Fitness is a proud member of the Parsippany community!
Crunch Morris Plains, 2651 Route 10, located in the Galleria 10 Mall, is open and running strong!
On Friday, July 26, Crunch did close for a few hours due to ongoing property management issues. Rightfully, the club was motioned to be reopened within hours. Crunch only wants the 100% best customer experience for all of their members and they will continue to fight for that.
Crunch Fitness, a member of the Parsippany Chamber of Commerce, wishes to switch their sights to the positive and focus not on a temporary closing, but on openings, with the announcement of their expansion in town.
Crunch’s newest location, Crunch Parsippany is set to open by the beginning of next year!
Keep your eyes open for location details, dates and ways to become a founding member of the newest location and among the first to join!
PARSIPPANY — Community Hope has received a grant in the amount of $12,500 from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. The donation made by the Foundation will be used to fund services which will assist veterans with transporting and navigating through their health appointments including: Scheduling, Transportation, Pharmacy visits and Follow-up appointments. .
“We help veterans who served in various wartime periods and conflicts, many with complex medical histories including severe PTSD, multiple physical ailments, and struggling with substance use. Some veterans have been living on the streets or in shelters for many years with no access to healthcare and no mental health treatment services,” said Carmine V. Deo, Executive Director of Community Hope. “Veterans Navigator Services is aimed at encouraging veterans to participate in managing their own health, practicing illness prevention, symptom management and appointment attendance. As a critical component of these services, we provide veterans with transportation to improve access to routine medical and preventative care.”
“This year’s grant will make it possible to continue to provide the guidance and assistance veterans need to help them manage and access services they need to maintain their health and well-being,” said Deo. This year alone, Community Hope estimates that through their through their programs and services more than 1,000 veterans and family members will be saved from living on streets and overcrowded shelters. In addition, each day 150 individuals reside in Community Hope supported housing in their mental health residential recovery programs.
“Horizon is pleased to support the important work being done by Community Hope,” said Jonathan R. Pearson, Executive Director of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey. “Veterans Navigator Services aligns with Horizon’s commitment to helping our members access the resources they need to manage their health. We are improving the health of the communities we serve by helping people access health services. The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey works across New Jersey with grantees who share our commitment to improving the health and communities we serve.”
Community Hope is a leading nonprofit organization serving veterans in need and at-risk veteran families in and around New Jersey. Founded in 1985 by caring families of young adults whose lives were impacted by severe depression and other debilitating mental illnesses, Community Hope is on a mission to help veterans and their families overcome mental illness, addiction, homelessness and poverty by providing housing and support services. The Hope for Veterans umbrella of programs has saved more than 6,000 veterans and their family members. To learn more about Community Hope, click here.
PARSIPPANY — Cookie was unfortunately surrendered to us when her family could no longer care for her. They felt it was the best decision to find her a new home and we are so happy to be able to help her find it!
Cookie loves just about everyone and everything, but she prefers men. What can we say, she’s a girl’s guy! She is good with other animals, children 13+, and enjoys meeting new people! Cookie would do best in a home who has dog experience and will work on establishing a trusting relationship with her.
Cookie is a lower energy dog who would be happy just taking a stroll around the block and then taking in some sun in front of a big window. She loves snuggles on the couch too! Cookie is potty-trained and totally fine when left home alone. Her ideal home would be one where she is spoiled, loved, and enjoys relaxing more than a lot of activity.
If you’re looking to add some sweet goodness into your life, apply to adopt Cookie today!
If you are interested in adopting Cookie, please fill out an application by clicking here.
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MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp announces that on July 26, 2019, defendant, Cyprian Luke, 19, Irvington, was sentenced to serve a probationary term of two years and ordered to complete the Abuse Ceases Today program and to continue attending counseling services through the Caring Partners of Morris/Sussex by the Honorable Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.Cr. on one count of Fourth Degree Contempt; one count of Disorderly Persons Simple Assault and one count of Disorderly Persons Criminal Mischief.
The investigation involved acts of domestic violence, which began in February 2019 and continued through May of 2019. The defendant admitted to a physical altercation with his then girlfriend and mother of his child, damaged her motor vehicle, violated a pretrial release order to have no contact with the victim while his charges were pending, and when ultimately apprehended on the charges, he provided a false name to police to avoid being arrested on the domestic violence charges against him.
Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Tia Manochio, Esq. represented the State at the sentencing.
Prosecutor Knapp stated, “The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office is committed to seeking justice and protection for victims of domestic violence and holding domestic violence perpetrators accountable for their conduct.”
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Acting Chief Robert McNally, and Rockaway Township Police Department Chief Martin McParland, Jr. announce the sentencing of Samantha Viscardi, 22, of Rockaway Township. The sentence stems from a fatal motor vehicle crash that occurred in the early morning hours of February 2, 2019.
Viscardi was sentenced on Friday, July 26, by the Hon. Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.Cr. to five years New Jersey State Prison. This sentence is subject to the parole ineligibility provisions of the No Early Release Act.
On June 3, 2019, Viscardi entered a guilty plea to one count of second degree Reckless Vehicular Homicide before Judge Taylor. She also entered a guilty plea to the motor vehicle offense of Driving While Intoxicated.
The charges arise from a single motor vehicle crash that occurred in the area of 435 Green Pond Road in Rockaway Township on February 2. The investigation revealed that Viscardi, the driver of the vehicle at the time of the crash, was operating a vehicle with a single passenger in the front seat. The passenger, Kimberly Boyle, 22, sustained a traumatic brain injury and died as a result of her injuries on February 9. Further investigation revealed that Viscardi was intoxicated at the time of the crash. She had been drinking at two bars and was using her cellphone when she got into the crash.
Prosecutor Knapp acknowledges members of the Rockaway Township Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office – Crime Scene Investigation, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit who contributed to the successful prosecution of this matter.
MONTVILLE — On Thursday, July 25, at approximately 9:15 p.m., the Montville Township Police Department’s Patrol Division was dispatched to a motor vehicle accident on Route 46 West involving a pedestrian.
The pedestrian, a 41 year old Pine Brook resident, was pronounced dead at the scene. West-bound lanes of the highway were closed for several hours while the investigation was active. Authorities would not go into detail citing the open investigation, but said the man was walking on the west side of the highway in front of McDonalds when he was struck by a sedan.
The investigation is being conducted by the Montville Township Police Department’s Traffic Division and Detective Bureau.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and the Morris County Sheriff’s Department are also assisting in the investigation. Witnesses are asked to call Det. Sgt. Byrnes at (973) 257-4113 with any information.