Thursday, April 11, 2013
Despite a report naming the parents of the 4-year-old, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office was not able to confirm their identities Thursday and questioned the report's accuracy
Purple ribbons lined the entire length McCormick Drive Thursday, tied around trees and mailboxes in memory of Brandon Holt, the 6-year-old who died from an injury suffered during an accidental shooting Monday. The Cedar Grove neighborhood plans to hold a memorial for Holt on Saturday evening, the same day a funeral mass will be held at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Toms River, a neighbor said. On Thursday, a family member at the Holt home said that the family was not currently staying at the house. The home where the shooting occurred remained unoccupied, as it has been for the past few days. Holt's father told news reporters that his son's organs were donated, saying they "could do some good." Despite reports from other media …
Brandon Holt, 6, was fatally shot Monday night by a 4-year-old neighbor on McCormick Drive in Toms River
Friends and neighbors remembered Brandon Holt Wednesday as a 6-year-old with a contagious smile, who liked to play in his quiet McCormick Drive cul-de-sac in Toms River with his 4-year-old friend. Since Monday night, when Brandon was fatally shot by the same 4-year-old neighbor while the pair were playing, those who knew the 6-year-old have been grieving for the child and for the families affected by the tragedy. "Brandon had the most precious and most contagious but shy smile," said Ruthi Blaum Grabowski, who had the chance to meet Holt last week when his grandmother brought him to Grabowski’s work at BottomLine Casino Arcade in the Holiday City Mini Mall. "His grandma had just bought him a 'Restore the Shore' zip-up sweatshirt, which …
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Victim is in stable condition after Monday evening incident, police said
Toms River Police are investigating a Monday evening shooting at a Cedar Grove residence where a 4-year-old accidentally shot a 6-year-old in the head, according to officials. The shooting occurred in the yard of the 4-year-old before 7 p.m. Monday, according to Toms River Chief of Police Michael Mastronardy, who said that the boy obtained a .22 caliber rifle from inside the residence. The 6-year-old was flown to Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune with a head injury and was in stable condition, the chief said. The shooting occurred in the Cedar Grove area of the township, according to Toms River schools Assistant Superintendent James Hauenstein, who received the news during a New Jersey School Boards Association meeting Monday night…
Monday, April 1, 2013
Other injuries also reported in three-vehicle crash
A Monday afternoon Route 37 crash has claimed another life, Toms River police said Tuesday. Carl Johnson, 48, of Lake Como has died as a result of the 1:30 p.m. three-vehicle crash Monday just west of Saint Catherine Boulevard, Chief of Police Michael Mastronardy said Tuesday. Johnson was transported to Community Medical Center after the crash, which also took the life of Gary Miller, 58, of Toms River. The incident marks the second fatal crash in the township this year, the chief said. Miller was driving a 1989 Chevy van eastbound in the center lane when his vehicle struck a Ford Explorer operated by Catherine Davis, 40, from Lacey, Mastronardy said. The Explorer originally struck by Miller then collided with a Honda CRV driven by …
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Longtime Toms River Chief of Police said he will run for Ocean County Sheriff
The man who has served as Toms River's police chief since 1992 has been tapped by Republicans to run for Ocean County sheriff. Michael Mastronardy was nominated to run by Ocean County Republicans during their Monday night convention in Toms River, the chief confirmed to Patch. The post has been vacant since longtime sheriff, 84-year-old William Polhemus, died last December shortly following his re-election. Mastronardy said during an interview with Patch Tuesday afternoon that he hopes to bring his years of experience as Toms River's police leader to the county level. "It's appropriate for me to thank them for their support to provide for the public safety of the residents of the county," he said. "As long as I'm physically able and …
Sunday, February 24, 2013
About $50,000 in raw heroin was seized.
Eleven people, including eight Toms River residents and one from Brick, were arrested this week on several drug charges, including maintaining a drug manufacturing facility, according to Toms River Police. A month-long investigation resulted in the arrests taking place on Thursday, Feb. 21, on the 500 block of Fischer Boulevard and the 3100 block of Oceanic Drive in Toms River, police said. Over two and a half ounces of raw heroin with an estimated street value of about $50,000 was seized at the Oceanic Drive location, according to police. Manufacturing and packaging equipment, a variety of prescription medications including suboxone and oxycodone, and $1,500 in American money was also seized, police said. Those arrested included: Taquan …
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Residents north of Lavallette can bring one car per household between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. this weekend, but access will depend upon where the home is located.
Entry to parts of the township north of Lavallette will enter another phase this weekend when residents can visit sections of the storm-ravaged peninsula in their own cars between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to the Toms River Township's Website. This gives residents an opportunity for more extensive remediation and preparing their homes for winter. Large moving vans will not be allowed entry. On Saturday, Nov. 17, residents from the following sections will be able to visit: Shore Way (Lavallette Border) North to Strickland Blvd.; Ocean Beach Units 1, 2, and 3; Ocean Beach Shores; Seacrest Beach; Sunset Manor Shores; Monterey Beach; and Ocean Beach Peninsula (Bayside). On Sunday, Nov. 18, residents of the following sections will be able …
Monday, October 8, 2012
Toms River Police Department continuing probe into recent armed burglary
The search for more information regarding the recent home invasion armed burglary of a home in the Rivercrest Manor section of Toms River continues, according to Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy. The chief has stated that the home invasion, which took place around midnight on Friday Sept. 21, had three men in ski masks force open a locked sliding glass door to a bi-level home on Colonial Drive. The men — wearing black ski masks, blue and white shirts and brown work gloves — made their way to a bedroom where a husband and wife were asleep, said the police chief. The couple awoke to the armed men, who tied up the residents at gunpoint. Mastronardy said the men were armed with black automatic handguns. The three men remained in the…
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Police said heavy rains affected search effort
Update: A report of a man who jumped off the Tunney Bridge Tuesday found nothing after three hours of searching the shallow area of Barnegat Bay. Toms River Police Department and fire companies conducted an early morning search effort looking for a male who reportedly jumped from the Tunney Bridge at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning. "The witness, a 44 year old Island Heights man, observed the man jump from the bridge then yelled to him 'stay afloat …help is on the way'" said Police Chief Michael Mastronardy. "He reported he used his flash light to observe the suspect who was wearing a red baseball hat floating away then he drifted out of view." Sergeant James Reilly coordinated the three hour search with East Dover Fire Company that was assisted …
39.94946
-74.115169
3430 Route 37 E, Toms River, NJ
/articles/water-search-ongoing-as-man-jumps-from-tunney-bridge
/locations/7683251
Monday, July 2, 2012
Incident 11:30 p.m. Friday, where gunfire erupted at a 21st birthday party
If you drove down the residential street of Gilford Avenue 5 p.m. Sunday, you'd see no police tape and sirens blocking traffic. Police and investigators did not line the road Sunday evening as they had for a large part of Saturday. But police work remains under way, as officers continue to investigate an incident that turned a birthday party into a reported shooting Friday night. Gilford Avenue, on the north side of Route 37, was the scene of a shooting 11:30 p.m. Friday, where Toms River Police, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office and the Ocean County Sheriff's Department sent personnel to investigate. Police said a home on Gilford Avenue was hosting a 21-year-old's birthday party, when one young male was shot. Injured, he sought help at …
39.9522
-74.14694
Gilford Ave & Adams Ave, Toms River, NJ
/articles/gilford-ave-shooting-remains-under-investigation
/locations/7371540
Heather B
1:11 pm on Sunday, April 28, 2013
@Johnny Done it.....Brandon Holt was my cousin so my family knows all too well that the parents of the other boy were very negligent! My comment simple stated that the boys did have adult supervision, which others have said they did not have. Our Family is still waiting for charges to be filed against these negligent parents! They could have prevented this....ONLY THEM! No one else could have … more ›