Crime

Nov. 23, 2013 Jie Cui of Princeton told police that she was driving down Route 518 when suddenly a piece of debris flew at her windshield. She said she swerved to the right to avoid it, but hit a mailbox at 18 Rt. 518.  Police said they could find no debris in the road. § Peter Malkin of Somerset told …

The owner of a Franklin “cash for gold” store was indicted on several charges related to last summer’s Operation “Somer Gold” sting by local, county and state law enforcement. David H. Rubin, 55, of Highland Park, owner of Wireless Source/Cash For Gold on Hamilton Street, was indicted on charges of 3rd Degree fencing, 3rd Degree receiving stolen property, two counts …

A 26-year-old Somerset man who police said tried to kill a township police officer during a struggle last summer has been indicted on several charges, including attempted murder. An indictment charging Archie L. Ashley with five counts of 1st Degree attempted murder, 1st Degree disarming a police officer, 2nd Degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, 3rd Degree …

Kimberly Briganti of Raritan Borough told police she was driving down Easton Avenue when the car ahead of hers, driven by Emma Holbrook of North Plainfield, stopped suddenly. Briganti said she could not avoid hitting the rear of Holbrook’s car. The impact sent Holbrook’s car into one ahead of hers, driven by Ruth Betzer of Somerset. Betzer said a car …

Nov. 18 Donna Zsoldos of North Brunswick was driving down Route 27, near Route 518, when a deer suddenly ran out in front of her car. Zsoldos told police she could not avoid hitting the animal. § Katherine Gangi of Manalapan was cited for careless driving after the car she was driving rear-ended one driven by Monica Gaydos of Piscataway. …

A Somerset jewelry store pleaded guilty to 10 violations of state cash-for-gold consumer protection laws and must pay more than $5,000 in fines and court costs. Venus Jewelers, Rutgers Plaza, was one of five Somerset County jewelry stores caught earlier this year in a joint sting operation run by the state Attorney General’s Office, the state Division of Consumer Affairs …

Nov. 15 Maureen Ogallo of North Brunswick told police that as she was driving down Hamilton Street, intense sun glare prevented her from seeing that the car ahead of hers, driven by Michaelle LaPointe, also of North Brunswick, was slowing. Ogallo’s car rear-ended LaPointe’s. § Ralph Monge of Lakewood was cited for careless driving, failure to report an accident and …

Law enforcement agencies throughout the county are stepping their enforcement of laws banning using cell phones while driving. Traffic patrols will be deployed on a random basis to find drivers talking and texting while driving, according to a press release from Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano, North Plainfield Chief of Police and President of the Somerset County Association of Chiefs of …

A Boulder Lane home was damaged the afternoon of Nov. 13 when a clothes dryer caught fire, police said. Police responded to the home at about 4:45 p.m. and were told there was a fire in the house’s utility room. Police officer Leonard Bird said he and Dan Krushinski, chief of the East Franklin Fire Department, doused the fire with …

John Croom of Lancaster, Pa. told police he was driving down John F. Kennedy Boulevard when a deer suddenly ran in front of his car, striking the front bumper. The deer then ran off. § Lilly Mattappallil of East Hanover told police she was stopped in traffic on Easton Avenue when her car was rear-ended by one driven by Jajikanth …