Family and friends packed the courtroom to hear the sentencing of Jonathan Lafontaine, accused of killing 18-year-old Brian Topoleski in 2013.

PATERSON -- A Totowa man who fatally stabbed a Cedar Grove teen in 2013 was sentenced Friday to 18 years in prison.

Passaic County Superior Court Judge Sohail Mohammed handed down the maximum sentence allowed under a plea agreement to Jonathan Lafontaine.

"I'm truly sorry for what happened...and I'm sorry for the pain I caused you," 23-year-old Lafontaine said to a packed courtroom before sentencing. 

In April, Lafontaine pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in the July 15, 2013 fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Brian Topoleski, who had just graduated from Cedar Grove High School. 

A case of mistaken identity on a Passaic County road led to a fight in Little Falls where Lafontaine plunged a steak knife into Topoleski's chest, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes said at the time.

The killing marked the first slaying in Little Falls in 30 years at the time.

During the sentencing, sobs and sniffles could be heard throughout the courtroom as statements from Topoleski's family members were read. Large photos of the teen throughout his life were prominently displayed in the courtroom. 

"I still can't believe this is real, it would be impossible to explain what Brian's lose means to us," a statement from Topoleski's mother, Gail Topoleski said. 

"It seemed that there was a misunderstanding, an exchange of words," Valdes said at the time. "Next thing you know, this tragic incident happened."

The two men did not know each, Valdes said. 

Lafontaine hid in the backyard of a home for two hours before he was arrested by Passaic County Sheriff's officers.

At the time, Lafontaine, who was sentenced to three years' probation in 2012 for aggravated assault, was placed in the Passaic County Correctional Facility in lieu of $1.5 million.

After the killing, the Totowa man pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, claiming the stabbing was an act of self-defense as Topoleski's friends threatened to kill him. 

"I think those claims are ludicrous, but everyone involved expects him to try to get his client off," Robert Topoleski, the victim's older brother, said at the time.

Due to the large turnout and emotions in the case, extra officers from the Passaic County Sheriff's Office were called to the courtroom.

Before announcing the sentencing, the judge said he read every letter sent to him from the families multiple times before Friday's court date. Mohammed said he also took into consideration Lafontaine's juvenile record and previous aggravated assault arrest.

"We love you Jon," family and friends of Lafontiane shouted as he was led out of court.

Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Local officials are already decrying the shutdown of Summit's Morris Avenue Bridge project.

SUMMIT -- It's not a list the city wanted to make: Summit's Morris Avenue Bridge replacement project is on the list of "nonessential state-funded projects" scheduled to be frozen after a legislative stalemate on a how to fund the state's Transportation Trust Fund.

The bridge connects the two halves of the city and is located above the Morris & Essex rail line. It has been closed since August 2015 for "rehabilitation to improve structural integrity, increase load carrying capacity, and improve traffic, pedestrian and railroad safety," according to the city's website.

The work was scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2017.

"For the last year, Summit has done its best to deal with congestion, re-routed truck traffic and strain on multiple neighborhoods and businesses as this main artery connecting two halves of our city is repaired," Mayor Nora Radest and City Council President Mike McTernan said in a letter to TAP into Summit. "To have this work stopped will place an additional burden on our city. The difference in how the State of New Jersey functions versus how local government functions could not be clearer. Our local citizenry holds us to a high standard and has an expectation that problems are addressed promptly and avoid crisis situations whenever possible."

Beginning today, NJ Transit the state Department of Transportation will have a week to review and decide how to spend what's left of the Transportation Trust Fund.

On the city's website, the mayor added, "I have been and will remain in close contact with local legislators and continue to urge NJ Transit to recommend funding be preserved for this vital infrastructure work."

Two other improvements to the Summit train station will also be frozen, including a one that would have allowed longer trains to reach the station's platform.

Here, are the 10 largest local NJTransit projects to be shutdown:

Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A 32-year-old Jersey City man with a prior robbery conviction has been charged with robbing a man in Union City while armed with a BB gun on Monday.

JERSEY CITY -- A 32-year-old Jersey City man with four prior convictions has been charged with robbing a man in Union City while armed with a BB gun on Monday.

Mohamad F. Abdi, of the 300 block of Summit Avenue, is charged with robbery, giving false information to police and weapons offenses related to a BB gun including possession of a weapon by a felon, the criminal complaint says.

He was arrested Tuesday.

Abdi's bail was set at $250,000 cash or bond when he made his first court appearance on the charges this afternoon in Central Judicial processing court in Jersey City via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.

Authorities say he threatened the victim during the robbery, the complaint says.

Abdi has four prior arrests and has four criminal convictions including for robbery, theft and drug possession within 1,000 feet of school property, a court official said.

 

A group of young Jersey City football players got some valuable on- and off-the-field lessons from one of the most accomplished athletes ever to come out of Hudson County.

A group of young Jersey City football players got some valuable on- and off-the-field lessons from one of the most accomplished athletes ever to come out of Hudson County.

This week, college football Hall of Famer Rich Glover held his annual four-day All Access to Life Foundation football camp in conjunction with the Jersey City Department of Recreation.

The camp was held at the the Ed "Faa" Ford Athletic Complex at the Caven Point Complex on Chapel Avenue, and it was the 14th for Glover, a former defensive tackle at Snyder High School and two-time All-America at Nebraska. Glover also played three NFL seasons.

On Friday, more than 20 Jersey City kids ages 9 to 14 participated in skill drills and live two-hand touch games.

For the former New York Giant who was born in Bayonne and raised in the Greenville section of Jersey City, the camp is a way of giving back to the community. 

"I just want the young men here to realize that they can be successful in whatever they want to do," said Glover, one of 10 players in college football history to win both the Lombardi and Outland trophies, given to the best interior lineman in the nation.

"They might not (become) a football player, but they all have access to the American dream, as long as they go to school, take care of their grades and be a good person."

For Friday's session, the kids took a momentary break from the gridiron to hear from special guest, Hudson County Prosecutor's Office Detective, Guershon Cherilien. 

Cherilien, an Elizabeth native who played football at American International College in Springfield, Mass., said he attended the camp to give the boys advice that he hopes can set them on the right path in life.

"Whenever I have an opportunity to speak to the youth, I take it very personally, because I actually remember members of law enforcement and teachers talking to me and motivating me growing up," Cherilien said.

"I took those messages seriously," the detective added. "So when I come out here, I just pray these kids take it seriously."

Anyone interested in volunteering or donating to the All Access to Life Foundation can learn more at their website. 

The fires left seven firefighters injured as they battled blaze after blaze.

CAMDEN CITY -- The serial arsonist who "terrorized" the city by setting more than a dozen fires that left seven firefighters injured over the holiday weekend is now in custody, according to authorities.

Camden County Police and city fire officials announced the arrest of Charles E. Ricks Jr., 44, at a press conference Friday afternoon, stating Ricks was responsible for 14 of the 16 fires set in the city over a 48-hour period. Investigators are continuing to work to connect him with the other two arsons.

The majority of the fires consumed abandoned buildings, but the constant, often back-to-back efforts of firefighters to bring the blazes under control caused many to suffer heat and physical exhaustion. One firefighter suffered a burnt hand and dislocated thumb, while another is still recovering from carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation, according to Camden City Fire Chief Michael Harper. All seven have been released after receiving treatment, and one firefighter remains out of work as he recovers.

"It was overtaxing, some of our guys went down because they left one fire and went to the next because that's the kind of drive that they have," said Harper.

Authorities credited the quick apprehension of Ricks -- who has addresses in both Camden City and Philadelphia -- to a combination of old-fashioned detective work canvassing neighborhoods with high-tech tools including facial-recognition software and the creation of a video timeline using the department's "eye in the sky" and local surveillance cameras.

Detectives first obtained a description of Ricks by witnesses near the fires, and then used that description to comb through hundreds of hours of surveillance footage to piece together evidence linking him to the location of the crimes.

Police identified Ricks, who was then apprehended by Det. Keith James when James saw him walking on Federal Street away from the downtown area at about 7:30 a.m. Thursday morning. He was taken into custody without incident, and following hours of what Camden County Police Captain Richard Verticelli called an extensive interview, Ricks confessed to setting the majority of the blazes. He's believed to have acted alone.

"This was an all-hands on deck investigation, the city of Camden was terrorized over the Independence Day weekend," said Camden County Police Captain Richard Verticelli.

Assistant Chief of Police Orlando Cuevas said detectives worked around the clock, abandoning plans to go home for the holiday weekend, to put a stop to Ricks' crimes.

"[Detectives] worked dilligently performing some of the best detective work I've seen in my 26 years in the police department to bring this to a resolution," said Cuevas.

Ricks has been charged with 13 counts of second-degree aggravated arson in connection with 14 of the 16 arsons, and authorities said the investigation is ongoing.

Ricks remains in Camden County Jail in lieu of $200,000 cash bail.

"A serial arsonist has been removed from the city streets, which renders Camden a safer place," said Verticelli.

CAMDEN: 700 Blk of Mt Vernon, DWELLING, HEAVY FIRE, PHOTOS BY: John Amet pic.twitter.com/8ZK7YpcAPT

-- SouthJerseyFireWire (@SJFireWire) July 2, 2016

.@SJFireWire Here's how the Camden fire looked from the @Phillies game a few minutes ago; looks better now. pic.twitter.com/qHvtsKIwLg

-- Jim MacMillan (@JimMacMillan) July 2, 2016

Michelle Caffrey may be reached at mcaffrey@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ShellyCaffrey. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Attorney General brought together clergy, law enforcement to prevent unrest in New Jersey.

TRENTON -- After a gunman opened fire on police officers during a Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas Thursday night, New Jersey's top law enforcement officials convened a conference call with community leaders and clergy to head off any potential unrest at home.

The impromptu discussion, organized by acting Attorney General Christopher Porrino, focused on the developments in Dallas, recent controversial police shootings around the U.S. and safety procedures for upcoming demonstrations in several New Jersey cities, according to multiple people who joined the Friday morning call.

"Law enforcement and community leaders from across New Jersey have resolved to continue to work together to ensure that people have the opportunity to demonstrate in a peaceful and productive manner, reducing tensions rather than raising them," Porrino said in a statement Friday afternoon.

Baraka calls for peaceful protests

The Dallas shooting came just days after video circulated on social media of police in Minnesota firing upon a black motorist, Philando Castile, and police in Baton Rouge, Lousiana killing another black man, Alton Sterling. 

Those incidents occurred amid a national climate of scrutiny of police practices, particularly in communities of color, and prompted President Barack Obama to call the deaths "an American issue that we all should care about."

The killing of five police officers by a black U.S. Army reservist who allegedly said he wanted to kill white police officers only heightened the tension. 

Obama called the shooting "a vicious, calculated and despicable attack." Gov. Chris Christie said it left he and his wife, Mary Pat, "sick and heartbroken."

There were no specific threats to New Jersey as of Friday, but the state attorney general said that "now is the time to use the bonds we have built to unite and ensure that these tragedies are not compounded in our communities."

Local police executives urged vigilance in the immediate aftermath, and several were on the Friday morning phone call, including Anthony Ambrose, the public safety director in Newark, which has seen several protests against police killings in recent weeks.

The state's homeland security director, Chris Rodriguez, also gave a briefing.

Steffie Bartley, head of the New Jersey Chapter of the National Action Network, the civil rights group founded by Rev. Al Sharpton, was among those on the call.

Bartley, a pastor at New Hope Memorial Baptist Church in Elizabeth, said law enforcement officials were particularly concerned with planned demonstrations in cities including Newark and Elizabeth aimed at protesting police killings of people of color.

"They assured us that law enforcement officers would be present, and asked us to reach out to our parishioners and communities to make sure they're peaceful protests," he said.

Bartley, who has worked with the Attorney General's Office on issues including investigations into police shootings and implementing body-worn camera programs, said New Jersey has taken "significant steps in the right direction" with regard to police-community relations, "but there's so much work to do."

"Incidents like (the Dallas attack) is what pushes us back," he said. "If we do a peaceful protest, (we wonder) who do we have lurking in some nearby apartment building, some car, some van looking to open fire on those here to protect us?"

 S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The teen, from Georgia, was charged with third-degree arson, authorities said

FREEHOLD -- A 14-year-old boy was charged with deliberately setting fire to a Wall Township business Thursday morning that injured three firefighters.

The teen, from Georgia, was charged Friday morning with third-degree arson in connection with the blaze at Taylor's Towing on West Hurley Pond Road, said Charlie Webster, spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

He said the teen had been staying with someone in the area.

Webster said he did not have information on how the fire started.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling the fire in the extreme heat. One was treated at the scene and two who suffered minor injuries were taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, police have said. 

The fire was reported at 9:35 a.m. and was extinguished by 12:15 p.m., Wall police said.

West Hurley Pond Road was closed from Carmerville Road to Lakewood/Farmingdale Road for five hours.

Nineteen fire companies from Monmouth and Ocean counties responded to the blaze.

"Do your job, but don't be a hero," the state PBA said in an alert to officers.

TRENTON - The New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association (PBA) issued a warning to its police officers Friday evening to be mindful of their surroundings, especially off duty.

"Do your job, but don't be a hero," Marc Kover, the PBA's vice president, said in a post on the organizations's Facebook page. "Avoid any situations that are not essential to public safety or the very description of your job during these dangerous times."

"Most importantly, please take all precautions to survive your shift and make it home to your families," it said.

The alert comes in response to the deaths of five police officers in Dallas and the wounding of seven other people - one of whom was a protestor.

The post expressed solidarity with Dallas police officials and concern for New Jersey officers and their loved ones.

Cops, community discuss preventing unrest

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the law enforcement officials in Dallas," the post said.

Amid fears that officers out of uniform could be targeted, Kovar told officers limit wearing police insignia or PBA apparel that would identify them or their family as law enforcement officers.

"We also encourage taking police shields and other police identifying articles off your cars," the post said.

"We're all in this together," the post concluded. "Protect one another and get home safe to your family."

Greg Wright may be reached at gwright@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregTheWright. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Second Black Lives Matter protest held in wake of fatal shootings of police officers in Dallas

NEWARK -- Dozens of protestors gathered outside Newark's police headquarters Friday for a rally to condemn the killings of black men by police officers.

The rally came a day after a sniper ambushed and fatally shot five police officers in Dallas at a Black Lives Matter protest against killings at the hands of police. Seven others were wounded in the attack before authorities killed the gunman.

Supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement also hosted a rally Thursday that snarled traffic in Newark's downtown. No arrests were made and the event was peaceful.

After Dallas, N.J. police on alert, mourning officers' deaths

The protests were held in response to the deadly shootings of Alton Sterling by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Philando Castil in Falcon Heights, Minnesota.

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said his officers would be "more vigilant" at protests planned around the city Friday and Saturday after the Dallas murders.

Newark officials: Protest police shootings, but do it peacefully

"We are going to ensure that people have their first amendment rights," Ambrose told NJ Advance Media in an interview Friday. "But, we have to make sure security [is in place] in case of any copycats."

Friday's rally, planned by the Newark AntiViolence Coalition before the Dallas killings, was also designed to show support for civilian oversight boards for local police.

The largest container ship ever to call on the Port of New York and New Jersey has arrived at GCT Bayonne, signaling what the Port Authority is calling "a new era in shipping."

BAYONNE -- The largest container ship ever to call on the Port of New York and New Jersey arrived yesterday at GCT Bayonne, signaling what the Port Authority is calling "a new era in shipping."

The Mol Benefactor is the first ship to visit an East Coast port after passing through the new, expanded Panama Canal, which opened on June 26, according to the bi-state agency.

The vessel can hold more than double the cargo of the average vessel calling on the Port of New York and New Jersey, and slightly more than the previous record-breaker, the Zim Tianjin, which docked in Bayonne last spring.

At a ceremony today welcoming the Mol Benefactor, GCT USA President John Atkins highlighted the importance of GCT Bayonne being able to efficiently service bigger ships.

"Big ships not only provide economies of scale for our customers but in choosing to call on New York, the Benefactor represents a win for the consumer, for business owners and our local economy alike," he said.

The Mol Benefactor has a capacity of 10,100 TEU -- the TEU is a unit of cargo capacity based on the volume of a 20-foot-long intermodal container -- compared to the Tianjin's 10,070, the Port Authority said.

The agency said larger ships coming to port will result in cargo coming in and out of the harbor on fewer ships, adding that the Mol Benefactor, which is classified as a "neo Panamax vessel," is about 48.6 percent more fuel efficient than a standard Panamax vessel.

In a statement, Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye said the Benefactor's arrival shows that the Port of New York and New Jersey is "big ship ready."

"This is great news for the 336,000 jobs the port already supports and the billions in economic activity it provides. But equally important, it's good news for the environment in and around the harbor," he said.

The Port Authority noted that while the largest ships cannot travel under the Bayonne Bridge until 2017, ships can still dock at GCT Bayonne -- just not at all the terminals at the port.

The $1.3 billion "Raise the Roadway" bridge project, which began in May 2013, is designed to raise the navigational clearance under the crossing from 151 feet to 215 feet to allow larger ships to travel under it.

The project was originally slated to achieve navigational clearance this year in time for the completion of the Panama Canal's expansion, but that was pushed back to late 2017, the Port Authority announced last fall.

Asked whether bigger ships will bring more traffic congestion, Bethann Rooney, the Port Authority Assistant Director of Port Performance Initiatives, said the agency is working on addressing that potential issue.

For one thing, Rooney said, the Port Authority is trying to get warehouses in the area that take in cargo from truckers to stay open for longer, past the time that terminals close.

"If a truck driver comes here at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, there's generally not any place for them to take the cargo to. So we need to have the whole industry working longer hours, essentially," she said.

On another front, Rooney said the Port Authority is setting up an appointment system for truckers to stop them from being in a "first come, first serve" mode when it comes to picking up cargo.

"If you can smooth out the arrival of the trucks, you won't have the concentration of trucks trying to get off at (Turnpike Exit) 14A in the morning," she said, adding that the appointment system is expected to be rolled out by the end of the summer.

Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.

The mom's boyfriend of two weeks is accused of killing and sexually assaulting the nearly 2-year-old girl.

CAMDEN -- In nearly 20 years working for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office, Christine Shah has prosecuted countless serious crimes.

But even the veteran assistant prosecutor had to take a few moments of pause as she laid out what authorities believe were the final, horrific hours of nearly 2-year-old Ariana Smyth's short life.

Shah outlined the case authorities have so far against Michael Disporto Jr., the 22-year-old Manahawkin man charged with murder and first-degree aggravated sexual assault in Ariana's death, during Disporto's arraignment Friday afternoon.

Ariana's mother, 26-year-old Amber Bobo of Gloucester City, is also charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child in connection with her daughter's death, ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma.

Shah referred to Ariana, who's since been identified by family and friends, in court by the initials A.S. and said the girl wasn't even a juvenile child, but still a baby who would have turned two in two weeks.

Shah told Judge John T. Kelley that according to Bobo, she and Disporto -- whom Bobo had been dating for just about two weeks -- picked Ariana up from her father's home in Cape May County on Saturday night at about 6 p.m. and went to Bobo's residence on South King Street in Gloucester City.

There, Disporto took Ariana to a park alone to "get to know her better" and later took the toddler to a field across the street from the residence to watch fireworks, while Bobo stayed home stating she was too tired to go.

When they returned, Bobo put Ariana to bed in the bedroom where the mother and daughter usually slept and then watched TV in the living room with Disporto. Bobo went to bed at about 11 p.m., leaving Disporto to spend the night on the couch. But when Bobo woke up at 7 a.m., Ariana wasn't in the bedroom but instead on the couch, wrapped in a blanket as Disporto smoked a cigarette outside.

Man accused of killing, sexually assaulting 2-year-old girl

When Bobo unwrapped the toddler from the blanket a couple hours later, she found her daughter was bruised on both sides of her forehead and was wearing a different outfit than the one she put her to bed wearing. Disporto first denied knowledge of the injuries, and then said the toddler must've fallen in the park. He refused Bobo's suggestion to take Ariana to the hospital and instead said to put ice on the bruises and let her sleep.

Bobo only noticed the bruises on Ariana's back and genital area when she went to bathe Ariana at 11 a.m., since Disporto earlier insisted on changing the toddler's diaper.

When confronted about the bruises, Disporto again denied knowledge and convinced Bobo not to seek medical attention for Ariana since he was worried "what people would think," Shah said.

Instead, the pair took Ariana to the Deptford Mall, where they covered her bruises with a hat despite the 80-degree weather. Ariana began to vomit at about noon.

They returned home two hours later to give the toddler, who then vomited again, another bath and change her clothes before they returned to the mall and shopped until 3:30 p.m.

After arriving home again, Bobo noticed her daughter's eyes rolling back in her head. Ariana had vomited a third time and was motionless. Disporto again rebuffed Bobo's attempts to take Ariana to the hospital, stating he was "just tired" and after Bobo insisted, said he would never see Bobo again.

Ariana was unresponsive when EMTs arrived at about 6 p.m. to take her to Cooper University Hospital, where she was found to have bleeding and fluid on her brain, bruising and swelling consistent with sexual assault, a broken arm, bruising and fluid in the lungs and both blood and urine in her abdomen.

She was rushed into brain surgery, but after doctors could not detect any brain activity two separate times on Tuesday, July 5, she was taken off life support and died at 6:26 p.m.

As Shah laid out the timeline of events in court on Friday, Dispoto closed his eyes and shook his head throughout Shah's comments. He scoffed and reacted with surprise multiple times throughout the proceeding. He only spoke to confirm his identity and say he couldn't reach his family Friday, but they were attempting to obtain an attorney for him.

Ariana's father and about a dozen friends and family in the courtroom cried and supported each other throughout the proceeding. They requested privacy and declined comment outside the courtroom.

Shah said she'd been contacted by an attorney in Newark who might get involved in the case and notified him of Friday's arraignment, but no attorney for Dispoto, who is unemployed, was present in court.

Judge Kelley granted Shah's request bail be set $1.5 million.

Despite Dispoto's clean record, Shah said the high bail was necessary because of the seriousness of the crime and the likelihood Dispoto would receive a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole due to state law regarding murder convictions connected to sexual assault.

Bobo remains in Camden County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail cash or bond.

"This case is every parent's worst nightmare, to have a child stolen from their own bed and then victimized by an adult in the most despicable way imaginable," said Shah. "There is no more serious crime than this."

Michelle Caffrey may be reached at mcaffrey@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ShellyCaffrey. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Hundreds of kids took to the fields at 16th Street Park to compete in a no-contact rugby tournament that drew club teams from over half a dozen towns.

BAYONNE -- Hundreds of kids took to the fields at 16th Street Park this morning to compete in a no-contact rugby tournament that drew club teams from over half a dozen towns.

The co-ed invitational, named "Pirate-Palooza" after Bayonne's youth flag rugby team, the Peninsula Pirates, saw outside teams from Cranford, Westfield, Rahway, Berkeley Heights, Scotch Plains and Dunellen.

George Delaney, chairman of the Bayonne Rugby Club and organizer of today's event, said the local youth team has more than doubled in size since it was founded last year, going from about 20 kids to 45 kids.

"It's the fastest growing sport in schools in the United States," he said, adding that a variation of rugby will appear in the Olympics this summer for the first time since 1924.

Delaney said he wanted to thank all the sponsors, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, city Recreation Director Pete Amadeo and the city Fire Department for their support for today's tournament.

Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.

A memorial softball tournament for a father and daughter killed in a horrific car crash in Jersey City earlier this year has been postponed to July 23.

BAYONNE -- A memorial softball tournament for a father and daughter killed in a horrific car crash in Jersey City earlier this year has been postponed to July 23.

The event, which was originally scheduled to take place today, was postponed in light of potential inclement weather, according to the organizer's website and Facebook page.

Tim O'Donnell and his 5-year-old daughter Bridget were killed in a Feb. 22 crash on the New Jersey Turnpike Hudson County Extension. The County Prep teacher is survived by his wife, Pam, and daughter, Ali, who was just 6 at the time of the accident.

The nonprofit behind the softball tournament, the Catch You Later Foundation, was created in the aftermath of the tragedy by family and friends of the O'Donnell family, according to the foundation's website.

Proceeds raised from the rescheduled softball tournament would help a local high school student attend college.

In addition to raising money for local students, the foundation seeks to spread awareness of the New Jersey #77 Aggressive Driving program, a hotline that people can use to report aggressive or erratic driving.

Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.

A former Kearny councilman was sentenced this week to 60 months in prison for his role in a $13 million mortgage fraud scam that used phony documents and "straw buyers" to make illegal profits on overbuilt condos in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, authorities announced.

A former Kearny councilman was sentenced this week to 60 months in prison for his role in a $13 million mortgage fraud scam that used phony documents and "straw buyers" to make illegal profits on overbuilt condos in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, authorities announced.

John Leadbeater, 59, of Kearny, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle in March 2015 to a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Simandle imposed the sentence Thursday in Camden federal court. 

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Leadbeater and his conspirators located condominiums overbuilt by financially distressed developers in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. They then recruited "straw buyers" from New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Arkansas, and California, to purchase those properties, according to court documents.

Leadbeater admitted to personally participating in fraudulent activity related to nine properties in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.  He admitted causing mortgage lenders to fund $4,711,557 worth of mortgages based on the bogus loan applications and closing documents prepared by him and his conspirators.

In addition to the prison term, Simandle sentenced Leadbeater to five years of supervised release. A restitution hearing has been set for July 28.

According to authorities, the straw buyers had good credit scores, but lacked the financial resources to qualify for the mortgage loans. The conspirators created false documents, including loan applications that contained fraudulent financial and employment information, to make the straw buyers appear more credit-worthy and induce the lenders to make the loans. 

Once the loans were approved, Leadbeater and his conspirators created and signed fraudulent closing documents in order to induce the mortgage lenders to send the loan proceeds in connection with real estate closings on the properties, according to authorities.

Once the mortgage lenders sent the loan proceeds, Leadbeater and his conspirators took a portion of the proceeds, having funds wired or checks deposited into various accounts they controlled, authorities said. They also distributed a portion of the proceeds to the other members of the conspiracy for their respective roles.

From 1990 to 1999, Leadbeater was a Kearny councilman for the 4th Ward, which covers the east side of Kearny from Belleville Turnpike to Quincy Avenue. Leadbeater also led three unsuccessful attempts to unseat current Kearny Mayor Al Santos, most recently in 2009.

 

A Union Township man has been arrested and charged with the killing of 25-year-old Matthew Murrell earlier this week.

ELIZABETH -- A Union Township man has been arrested and charged with the killing of 25-year-old Matthew Murrell earlier this week, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced Saturday.

Park said Yves Marcellus, 25, fatally beat Murrell at the home at 870 Salem Road. Marcellus is charged with first-degree murder and was arrested without incident at his workplace on Route 22 in Union Friday night.

Police were called to the home just before 5 a.m. Tuesday and found Murrell in a side yard, Park said. He was pronounced dead a short while later, she said.

A joint investigation by the Union County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force, Union police and the Union County Sheriff's Office identified Marcellus as a suspect, Park said.

Marcellus is being held in the Union County Jail, with bail set at $1 million by state Superior Court Judge Scott J. Moynihan. His first court appearance is expected to be held in the coming days, Park said.

Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Myriam Martinez, a 52-year-old woman who was fatally shot Thursday, was remembered by her brother for her unique personality.

NEWARK -- The brother of a 52-year-old city woman who was fatally shot earlier this week stood outside her apartment this morning, watching as people walked by a makeshift memorial of candles he had set up. 

Angel Martinez, 42, propped up the cardboard box and placed two candles in it after his sister Myriam Martinez -- a mother of two and grandmother of three -- was shot and killed late Thursday outside her apartment near the corner of Clinton Place and West Runyon Street.

Myriam Martinez, who was known by many as "Cana," a nickname she was given for her lighter hair as a baby, was shot about 11:41 p.m. Thursday and died less than an hour later, authorities said. 

"How you going to kill a woman?" Angel Martinez asked, wearing a black Oakland Raiders hat while staring at the memorial. "She was funny, outspoken, a good person all around. ... Why it happened, I don't know." 

Newark shootings leave 3 dead, 1 wounded in less than 24 hours

Myriam Martinez leaves behind two daughters, both in their 20s, and three grandchildren, all boys, who were the "loves of her life," her brother said.

Angel Martinez said his sister lived in the neighborhood for two years. She would often help out at the grocery store attached to her apartment by making sandwiches, even though she didn't work there, he said. 

The two were born in Puerto Rico, but their family moved to Paterson where they were raised, he said. 

"We ended up here in Newark -- I guess that was a bad move," said Angel Martinez, who lives down the street from the scene and said he heard the gunshots that fatally wounded his sibling. 

As he leaned against his vehicle near the memorial, three investigators got out of a car and began knocking on doors. One said he could not comment about the ongoing investigation. 

"Yeah, it's the police," one said on the phone after knocking on the building Myriam Martinez lived in. "Can you come downstairs? We need to speak to you."

Myriam Martinez was one of three people shot and killed in the city within a 24-hour period this week. 

Authorities identified one of the victims as 24-year-old Dondre Williams, who was shot in the 200 block of Keer Avenue and died at University Hospital at 4:30 a.m. Friday, police said. 

Officials also said another man died Friday afternoon after he was shot near Parkview Terrace and Goldsmith Avenue.

As of Saturday afternoon, no one has been arrested or charged for any of the three killings, said Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly, of the prosecutor's Major Crimes Unit.

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook and Twitter.

TRENTON — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will join presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Virginia on Monday as speculation continues to swirl over whom Trump will pick as his running mate. Christie, one of Trump's top advisers, will be with the celebrity businessman as he hosts a rally at 1 p.m. at an arena in Virginia Beach, Trump...

TRENTON -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will join presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Virginia on Monday as speculation continues to swirl over whom Trump will pick as his running mate.

Christie, one of Trump's top advisers, will be with the celebrity businessman as he hosts a rally at 1 p.m. at an arena in Virginia Beach, Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks confirmed.

The governor, one of a handful of Republicans that Trump is reportedly vetting for vice president, was supposed to be with Trump in Miami on Friday, but the real estate magnate canceled his speech in the wake of the Dallas shootings.

When will Trump & Clinton make VP picks?

Trump is expected to pick his running mate before the Republican National Convention, possibly as early as this coming week.

Trump has been appearing with potential V.P. picks at events over the last week or so. On Tuesday, another contender, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, will appear with Trump.

Other possible running mates include former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and retired Lt. General Michael Flynn, whom the Washington Post reported is high on Trump's list.

Christie is also considered a contender to become Trump's U.S. attorney general or White House chief of staff. 

Christie had scheduled a Monday event in Fair Lawn to promote his "Fairness Formula" school aid reforms.

but his office said the forum will be rescheduled.

Roads were closed and businesses were evacuated after a gas leak in Spotswood.

File Photo

SPOTSWOOD -- Roads were closed and businesses were evacuated in the area of Summerhill Road and Main Street on Saturday due to a gas leak, according to a statement from police.

Authorities did not have any further information at this time.

The incident was reported around 1:30 p.m.

Police reported a "major watermain break" on Summerhill Road on Friday. 

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

About 1,000 people gathered on Saturday for the memorial of former state Sen. Ray Bateman.

BRANCHBURG TWP. -- Ray Bateman, the revered former state senator from Somerset County, was eulogized Saturday as a principled leader dedicated to his family and passionate about furthering education in New Jersey.

The service, which attracted more than 1,000 people, took place on the campus of Raritan Valley Community College. Bateman was the architect of legislation creating New Jersey's county college system

Bateman, a once gubernatorial candidate who had also served as the head of the state Republican Party, died at the age of 88 on June 25 at Morristown Memorial Hospital after a brief illness.

Top state officials and several former New Jersey governors were in attendance, including Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), and former governors Thomas Kean and Christie Todd Whitman.

Several speakers, including Whitman, talked about Bateman's passion for education -- particularly for advancing the cause of community college education.

"His vision of community colleges changed so many lives," Whitman said. "He was always the person you looked to for integrity and honesty. He was a mentor and always a role model and a dear friend. He was a true gentleman in every sense of the word."

Bateman advocated for the growth and expansion of Raritan Valley Community College, and he was ultimately able to convince then-Gov. Whitman to expand funding for community colleges in the state by $48 million.

While serving as co-chair of New Jersey's community colleges' "Teams for Tomorrow" committee, Bateman helped bring a $200-million increase in the Chapter XII community college construction and building renovation fund.

Bateman's son, Christopher "Kip" Bateman, who now occupies the Senate seat his father held for more than a decade, became emotional as he recalled his fondest memories and most admired qualities of his father.

"He would not tolerate friction in the family," Kip Bateman said. "We were blessed to be such a close family ... he was always there to lean on.

"Dad loved life and people. He (saw) the greatness in people ... He was one of a kind. I am just glad he was with us for 88 years. I could not have asked for a better dad and a better role model, " he said.

Rev. Todd Buurstra, of the North Branch Reformed Church, gave the invocation.  

"When I think of Ray, I think of the word 'lead.' He had a commanding personality. He was engaged socially. He was tough and positive. But more than a leader, Ray was, above everything else, a dad. His family meant more to him than anything else," said Buurstra.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The "swift and skilled" actions of a lifeguard and a police officer saved the life of a 6-year-old city girl who was found unconscious in a pool, City Chief of Staff Andrew Casais said.

BAYONNE -- The "swift and skilled" actions of a lifeguard and a police officer saved the life of a 6-year-old city girl who was found unconscious in a municipal pool yesterday, City Chief of Staff Andrew Casais said today.

Around noon on Friday, 18-year-old lifeguard Luke Bilotta noticed the 6-year-old wasn't resurfacing from the DiDomenico Pool on 16th Street, according to city Recreation Director Pete Amadeo.

Bilotta immediately pulled her out of the water and began administering CPR on her, Amadeo said. The recreation director said a police officer, Jessica Lyons, joined in to assist Bilotta.

The girl then fully regained consciousness, according to Amadeo. She was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where she was joined by her parents, he said.

"She left 16th Street pool alert and conscious," Amadeo said.

A Bayonne Medical Center spokesman said last night that the 6-year-old was initially taken to Bayonne Medical Center. After her condition stabilized, she was transferred to Saint Peter's Hospital in New Brunswick, he said.

Saint Peter's Hospital said today that the girl has since been released.

Casais said he and Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis visited the pool yesterday "to personally thank Luke for his life-saving actions."

"It is without question that the swift and skilled actions of Luke and Officer Lyons saved the life of this child," he said. "The mayor also thanks McCabe Ambulance as well as the Bayonne Police and Fire units that arrived on scene minutes after the call was issued."

Amadeo said yesterday that the incident wasn't due to a lapse in supervision. He couldn't say how long the girl, who is a camper in the city's Horace Mann Day Camp, remained underwater.

Police couldn't provide details yesterday or today about the incident.

Casais said while the hope is that city personnel never have to use the training they receive for emergency situations, the reality is that "things of this nature will occur" over the course of time.

"With that said, it is of great comfort to know that when a serious situation presents itself our team knows what their roles are, and what needs to be done," the city chief of staff added.

Note: This story has been updated to include a response from Saint Peter's Hospital.

Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.