Find Your Daily Voice
Drug-Dealing Duo Found With Heroin, Fentanyl, Crack In Toms River, Berkeley: Prosecutors
A man and a woman were accused of using two Ocean County homes to sell several drugs, including heroin mixed with fentanyl and crack cocaine, authorities said.
Nicholas Ryland, 32, of Cream Ridge, and Quadazia Scott, 33, of Berkeley Township, were arrested after a three-month investigation. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced their arrests in a news release on Tuesday, May 7.
Police began surveillance on two suspected homes in Toms River and Berkeley Township on Thursday, May 2. Detectives saw Ryland and Scott leave the Berkeley home in their vehicles.
Ryland…
Toms River Woman Admits To Robbing Woman With Knife, Having Cocaine: Prosecutors
A Toms River woman admitted to robbing another woman with a knife, having cocaine, and spitting in the faces of officers, authorities said.
Olivia Paige, 35, pleaded guilty on Monday, Apr. 22 to robbery, possession of cocaine, and aggravated assault. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced the guilty pleas in a news release on Wednesday, Apr. 24.
Brick Township police responded to a shoplifting report at a convenience store on Maple Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. Officers determined Paige took items from the store without paying for them.
Police arrested Paige af…
Seaside Heights Voters Reject Merger With Toms River School District: Unofficial Results
Seaside Heights voters rejected a plan to merge the island borough's school district with the Toms River Regional School District.
According to unofficial results, 232 voters in Seaside Heights voted "no" on the merger, while 167 voters said "yes" in the referendum on Tuesday, Apr. 16. The plan would have eventually closed the Seaside district's only school Hugh J. Boyd, Jr. Elementary School.
Mainland voters overwhelmingly approved the merger plan, which would have gone into effect in the 2024-25 school year. In Beachwood, Pine Beach, South Toms River, and Toms River, 7,186 voters sai…
Man Accused Of Trying To Abduct Lakewood Girl In South Jersey Crime Spree To Remain In Jail
A Monmouth County man will remain in jail after he was accused of trying to kidnap a teen girl and groping a woman in a Target parking lot during a two-county crime spree, authorities said.
Quamel Benton, 35, of Farmingdale, was ordered by a judge on Wednesday, Apr. 10 to remain in Burlington County Jail through his trial, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He was charged in Ocean County with attempted kidnapping, luring, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal sexual contact, two counts of eluding, resisting arrest, and obstruction.
L…
Man Tried To Abduct Girl In Lakewood, Groped Woman In Toms River Parking Lot: Prosecutors
A Monmouth County man was accused of trying to kidnap a teen girl and groping a woman in a Target parking lot as part of a two-county crime spree, authorities said.
Quamel Benton, 35, of Farmingdale, was arrested on Friday, Mar. 22, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He was charged with attempted kidnapping, luring, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal sexual contact, two counts of eluding, resisting arrest, and obstruction.
Lakewood police responded to a report of an attempted kidnapping near Forest Park Circle at around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Ma…
Toms River Teacher Who Sent Inappropriate Pics To Student, Took Classroom Nudes Sentenced
A former Toms River teacher will spend time in prison after admitting to sending inappropriate Snapchat pictures to a student and posting sexual photos of himself in his classroom, authorities said.
Kyle Banner, 49, of Brick Township, was sentenced on Friday, Mar. 22 to four months in Ocean County Jail, county prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced in a news release. He was a teacher at Toms River Intermediate North (TRIN) and Ocean County College.
Banner pleaded guilty on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, to three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. As part of his plea, Banner…
Toms River Dad Robert Catalfamo Dies Suddenly, 43
Robert Michael Catalfamo, of Toms River, died suddenly on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Community Medical Center, according to an obituary published by McCriskin-Gustafson Family of Funeral Homes and a GoFundMe campaign. He was 43 years old.
Nearly $20,000 was raised for medical and funeral expenses by the GoFundMe page as of Thursday, March 7.
Rob was a 1999 graduate of South Plainfield High School, his obituary said.
Rob lived in Jersey City and later began a career in hospitality, and eventually to Albany, NY, where he worked for the New York Board of Health, according to his obit.
Rob …