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Hero NJ Police Officer Arrested

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A veteran New Jersey police officer awarded earlier this year for saving people from a burning building has been arrested for allegedly killing a 23-year-old father in a hit-and-run when he was off-duty Tuesday, authorities say. 

Jose Urena, a seven-year officer with the Paterson Police Department, was charged with leaving the scene of Tuesday's accident near North Fourth and Temple streets in the city. 

Police say they got a call about the accident around 8:25 p.m. and found Jaquill Fields, of Paterson, in the street. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died of his injuries, authorities said. 

Accident reconstruction crews and officials with the prosecutor's homicide unit investigated, and Urena was arrested. He has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the investigation. 

Fields' family described him as a "great guy" who loved to laugh and adored his 2-year-old son. They said they want justice for his death, and that they hoped the officer wouldn't get special treatment because of his standing in the community. 

"I just hope he gets no slack because he's an officer," said Fields' aunt, Kim Mottley. "He's still a human being." 

"It hurts. And to know there was an off-duty officer and he couldn't even stop," she said. 

Urena pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday and bail was set at $50,000. His attorney, Patrick Casserta, said he had no comment on the charges at this time. 

Fields' brother Yason Fields attended the arraignment to face the man accused of leaving his brother to die on the sidewalk.

"I hope he rots in hell," he said. "He's going to pay for his actions."  

In January, Urena received a life-saving award from the Paterson Police Department for saving several people from a burning building in the city last June. 



Photo Credit: Mitsu Yasukawa / The Record Staff Photographer

Man Accused of Strangling Girlfriend Calls Death 'Tragic'

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An eastern Pennsylvania man accused of strangling his girlfriend with a television set electrical cord called her death "tragic" but unplanned.

Twenty-six-year-old Anthony Heath of Allentown also told Lehigh County jurors Wednesday that he "died within" himself after the death of 35-year-old Angela Steigerwalt of Tamaqua.

Heath is representing himself on charges of homicide, abuse of a corpse and related counts in the January 2014 slaying.

Prosecutors allege that Heath killed the victim because he thought she was reneging on a promise to take him to a custody hearing, and he later burned the victim's body.

Steven Luksa, the county's first assistant district attorney, said the slaying was intentional and premeditated.

He told jurors "It wasn't an accident. It wasn't an "oops.' It wasn't a sexual misadventure. It's first-degree murder."



Photo Credit: Getty Images

NBC10 First Alert Weather: Clouds Increase

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NBC10 First Alert Weather meteorologist Sheena Parveen says tonight clouds will increase and showers will move in overnight.

Protecting Elderly from Imposters

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Philadelphia police are teaming up with local utilities to protect senior citizens from imposters in a campaign called "Be Sure Before You Open The Door"

Man Sexually Assaults Woman at Bus Stop: Police

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Police are searching for a man accused of robbing and sexually assaulting a woman at a bus stop in Southwest Philly.

The 22-year-old woman told police she was waiting for the bus on the 2600 block of South 65th Street Wednesday around 3 a.m. when she was approached by an unidentified man. The man placed an unknown object to the woman’s head and forced her into a rear driveway where he took her wallet which contained cash, a debit card and ID, officials said. The man then sexually assaulted her before fleeing on foot, according to police.

The suspect is described as a tall man with a large build, light complexion and slight facial hair between the ages of 20 and 30. He was last seen wearing black sweatpants and a black hooded sweatshirt.

If you have any information on the incident, please call Philadelphia Police.
 

'One Riverside' Condo High-Rise Groundbreaking

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Leaders held a groundbreaking for a new Center City condo high-rise that will soon overlook the Schuylkill River.

Hospital Helps Maimed Kids With Albinism

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A Philadelphia Hospital is providing care for five children with albinism who were the victims of brutal attacks in Africa.

The kids, ranging in age from 5 to 18, are all from Tanzania and victims of witch doctors and their followers who practice “Muti,” traditional medicine in Southern Africa. In Tanzania and other countries, the body parts of people with albinism are often forcibly removed due to the belief that the intensity of the victims’ screams while their limbs are being chopped off enhances the potency of medicine. The victims’ body parts are then often sold to witch doctors for use in charms and magical potions that followers of Muti believe bring wealth and good luck. Not all victims survive the attacks.

Elissa Montanti, founder of the Global Medical Relief Fund, decided to help five of the victims, who social workers say were attacked by their own parents.

“To have such human suffering caused by humans is just unfathomable,” Montanti said.

The children are staying in a GMRF home in Staten Island, New York. The charity and private donors are covering all travel and housing expenses. The children are receiving treatment at Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia which is providing medical care at no cost.

Doctors at Shriners will try to surgically repair their wounds or fit them with prosthetic limbs.

“To somebody who has nothing a little is a lot,” said Dr. Dan Zlotolow. “So there’s a tremendous satisfaction for us.”

Montanti told NBC10 the children will come back to the United States for more treatment if needed at least until they turn 21.

“If we have the resources to help these children then there’s no reason on earth that we shouldn’t,” Montanti said.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the Global Medical Relief Fund.
 

The End of Traditional Tolls at Turnpike Interchange

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The end of tolls as you know them is coming to a major interstate interchange.

Thousands of drivers who use the bridge linking the Pennsylvania Turnpike with New Jersey soon won’t be stopping and won’t even be paying in one direction. But their license plates will be photographed as part of a “toll-by-plate” system.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission plans on installing its first entirely electronic “tollbooth” early next year at the Delaware River Bridge.

“All these tolling changes are required to accommodate the nonstop flow of traffic between Interstate 95 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike,” said Turnpike spokesman Carl Defabo Jr. “Making such a connection with the traditional ‘ticket’ tolling would have meant creating a location where I-95 motorists would stop and get a ticket -- then pay a toll at the existing DRB plaza a few miles down the road. It just didn’t make sense to stop traffic twice.”

The plan, to be instituted in January of 2016, eliminates the DRB tollbooth entirely at milepost 359 near the New Jersey line. The tollbooth will be replaced by the Delaware River Bridge All Electronic Tolling system. Cash won’t be accepted at the electronic tolling point, which will be comprised of twin overhead gantries for westbound motorists. The gantries – steel frames traditionally used for signs over the roadway – will read motorists’ E-ZPass transponders or take a photo of their license plates if they don’t have E-ZPass. The commission will then send a bill for the toll to the motorist.

Once the electronic tolling begins, the start and end point of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s trip-based system will move to a different location about six miles to the west. The new Neshaminy Falls Toll Plaza, which is now being constructed at milepost 353, will become the eastern limit of the Turnpike’s ticket system. Tolls also will no longer be collected at the Delaware Valley/US Route 13 Interchange though motorists will still be able to get on and off at the Turnpike/I-276. Tickets also won’t be issued at that location.

A news release from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission states travelers can expect the following when the new tolling systems are in place:

Eastbound cash customers will stop at the Neshaminy Falls Toll Plaza to surrender their toll tickets and pay cash. Eastbound E-ZPass customers can proceed through the Neshaminy Falls Toll Plaza at 55 mph via express lanes on the left or via standard 5 mph E-ZPass lanes on the right. At that point, all eastbound customers can either exit at the Delaware Valley Interchange (U.S. Route 13) or cross over the Delaware River Bridge into New Jersey without stopping or paying any additional tolls.

Westbound customers entering Pennsylvania (including E-ZPass and non-E-ZPass customers) will drive at 55 mph beneath the overhead gantries immediately after crossing the Delaware River Bridge from New Jersey. These gantries signify the tolling zone, where all customers pay a flat toll without stopping via E-ZPass or Toll-by-Plate (license-plate billing). From there, all westbound customers can exit at the Delaware Valley Interchange (U.S. Route 13) without stopping or paying an additional toll, or they can continue west on the PA Turnpike to the Neshaminy Falls Toll Plaza, where cash customers will stop at a designated lane to take a toll ticket at the entry point onto the Turnpike’s trip-based system. Westbound E-ZPass customers can proceed through the Neshaminy Falls Toll Plaza at 55 mph via express lanes on the left or via standard 5 mph E-ZPass lanes to the right. The Neshaminy Falls Toll Plaza becomes the entry point onto the Turnpike’s trip-based system for E-ZPass customers as well.

“This is a vital project for the commission and the region and an essential first step in creating a long-awaited direct link between the Turnpike and I-95,” Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Chairman Sean Logan said. “Along with the Beaver Valley Expressway conversion, it will allow us to gain insight regarding the performance of AET technology and business rules and provide extra time to educate customers about this significant change."

The Turnpike Commission also stated that the 34 current collectors at the transitioning tollbooths will remain on the job -- 26 will go to the new Neshaminy Falls toll while the rest will be reassigned to other toll locations no further than the Valley Forge Interchange.



Photo Credit: Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission

Photo Project Protests Overmedication of Veterans

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A military veteran and student at the Art Institute of Philadelphia is using his skills as a photographer to protest the overmedication of our nation’s heroes.

Mike Whiter, 39, launched the photo project “Operation Overmed,” which features pictures of veterans, including Whiter, rejecting pharmaceutical options and using alternative treatments such as medical marijuana for their health issues.

Whiter told NBC10 he joined the Marines at the age of 19 and eventually became a Staff Sergeant. After the Iraq War, Whiter was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and was medically discharged. He went to a VA Hospital which placed him on medication.

“Over a period of five years I was on 40 different medications,” he said. “Everything from anti-depressants to anti-anxiety medication. At one point they had me on Methadone for chronic pain. I was 35 at the time.”

Wanting to find an alternative to the medication, Whiter started using medical marijuana after watching a documentary about it in 2012. Since then he hasn’t turned back.

“I felt more relaxed after one joint than I had after tons of combinations of pharmaceuticals,” he said. “I threw away my pills and my quality of life is better than it has been in years. I think it is very important to note that cannabis is not a cure for PTSD, but in combination with therapy, it can open a whole new world for you.”

Whiter also decided to pursue his passion in photography and enrolled in the Art Institute of Philadelphia. That’s where the foundation for his photo project took shape.

“I was having a hard time in the studio photographing subjects,” he said. “I have a hard time interacting with people sometimes. One of my professors said, ‘why don’t you shoot veterans? Then I decided to take it a few steps further and involve my activism.”

Whiter launched Operation Overmed in June 2. While the series so far has gotten attention from the medical marijuana community, Whiter hopes the project will reach a wider audience.

“I’m photographing people that use medical marijuana now because I’m a marijuana activist and I run in those circles so I know these people,” he said. “But I’m meeting other people who say, ‘Hey, I don’t use medical marijuana but screw the pill.’ The point is, all of these veterans have chosen alternative treatments whether its medical marijuana or acupuncture, yoga, I don’t care what it is. As long as they’re saying screw these pills, I want to do what’s right for my body. I’m taking my health into my own hands. And that’s what I want to show with these photographs.”

Whiter says his ultimate goal is to draw attention to the countless veterans who shared an experience similar to his own.

“Twenty-seven states report 22 veteran suicides a day,” Whiter said. “A lot of that can be attributed to the medications because guys with PTSD who are already suicidal are taking medications that have increased risks of suicidal thoughts or actions listed as a side effect. I was one of those guys. I was a slave. I was in my house stuck in my head for like five years man, just on all these pills.”

Whiter, who says the response to the project has been “overwhelmingly positive,” hopes his message will reach the average citizen.

“Veterans are overmedicated,” he said. “That’s the message that I really want to send out. The VA is killing the people who fought for this country and it’s not right.”

If you would like to participate in the Operation Overmed project, email Whiter at mwhiter@gmail.com. You can also visit his Facebook page and website for more information.
 



Photo Credit: Mike Whiter

Wayward Tire Goes Airborne During I-95 Multi-Vehicle Crash

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Several people were hurt in a multi-vehicle crash on northbound I-95 that sent a wayward tire flying into the southbound lanes.

The crash happened around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday on I-95 in Chester approaching 9th Street.

Six cars were involved in a chain-reaction crash in the northbound lanes, police said.

One person involved in the crash was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Police say a tire from one of the cars involved in the initial crash went flying into the southbound lanes and struck a passing car. The driver of that car was not involved.

At the height of the crash, both sides on I-95 were closed, but they have since reopened.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.



Photo Credit: NBC10

Fire Damages Seafood Market in Delaware County

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Firefighters battled a blaze that broke out inside a seafood business in Delaware County early Thursday morning.

The fire started about 5 a.m. at a seafood market at Hook and Calcon Hook Roads in Sharon Hill.

The fire was placed under control shortly after 6 a.m.

There were no reports of any injuries. The building was damaged in the fire.

The cause is under investigation.



Photo Credit: NBC10

NJ Mom Disappears En Route to Doctor's Office

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Police are asking for the public’s help locating a South Jersey mother who has not been seen since Monday, when she left for a visit to her doctor's office.

Lana Medinger was last seen leaving her home in Glassboro, New Jersey, at about noon.

Medinger was going to her doctor’s office in Washington Township in Gloucester County, but she never arrived, according to the Glassboro Police Department.

Medinger’s husband, John, told NBC10 he has had no contact with his wife since noon on Monday. John Medinger said there has been no activity on his wife’s E-ZPass account and he added that investigators are checking to see if there has been any activity on his wife’s credit card.

Medinger said his wife took her cell phone with her, but he has been unsuccessful in contacting her that way.

Medinger added that his wife had a recent medical procedure that he believes may be impacting her memory.

She was driving a 2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse with New Jersey plate No. YCA-82H.

Medinger, 65, is 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighs about 120 pounds.

Anyone with information on Medinger’s whereabouts is urged to call the Glassboro Police Department at 856-881-1500.



Photo Credit: Glassboro Police Department

Chick-fil-A Fans Camp out for Free Food in Montgomery County

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One hundred die-hard Chick-fil-A fans didn’t let heavy rain or camping outside for 24 hours deter them from their ultimate goal: free food!

They began lining up and camping out before 6 a.m. Wednesday in North Wales, Montgomery County.

Those camping out had to brave heavy rain, but there was a prize at the end of the rainbow: free Chick-fil-A food for one year!

The first 100 adults through the doors when the restaurant opened at 6 a.m. Thursday won free Chick-fil-A food for a year.

Chick-fil-A does this promotion with all grand openings.

The newest location, which is at 794 Bethlehem Pike, will bring with it 80 new jobs. The location is adjacent to the Montgomery Mall.

In addition, new books are being collected through June 20 to benefit the North Penn Valley Boys & Girls Club. Community members are invited to drop off new books at the restaurant that will be donated to the organization at the end of the drive.



Photo Credit: CP Communications

Local Church Leader Mourns Friend After S.C. Church Massacre

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Church leaders of Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia react to Wednesday's massacre at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Monique Braxton speaks Pastor Mark Tyler as he mourns the loss of a close friend.

9 Dead After S.C. Church Shooting

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The FBI and other federal agencies join the search to find the man responsible for killing nine people inside of Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. NBC10's Katy Zachry has the latest.

Roman Catholic's WWI Heroes

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It all started with inspiration from a book. NBC10's Matt Delucia tells us how one Roman Catholic High School's alumnus' mission is working to honor the forgotten.

Delco Teen Honored for Saving Umpire

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Members of the Folcroft Communuity presented 16-year-old Michael Brodzinski with a hero plaque Wednesday night after the volunteer firefighter performed life-saving CPR on an umpire in early June.

Night Market Causes Street Closures in Philadelphia

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The second Night Market celebration of the season will cause a traffic advisory in Philadelphia.

The street food festival consists of local restaurants, food trucks, and live entertainment in the city’s most lively neighborhoods.

Night Market will begin set up at 3 p.m. on Thursday and will run from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.

The following streets in Center City will be affected:

  • 12th Street - Callowhill Street to Spring Garden Street
  • 13th Street - Callowhill Street to Spring Garden Street
  • Buttonwood Street - Broad Street to Ridge Avenue
  • Hamilton Street - Broad Street to 11th Street
  • Noble Street - Broad Street to 11th Street

There will be officers assigned to the event to assist with traffic control.

Night Market kicked off in South Street West last month and will continue to host events in Lancaster Avenue (August 6) and Fishtown (October 1).



Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/thefoodtrust

Philly Pastor Remembers Friend Killed in Church Massacre

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A Philadelphia church and its reverend mourned for the victims of the South Carolina church massacre notably the church's leader.

The shooting rampage that claimed nine lives at the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina hit home for AME followers in the Philadelphia region – especially for Rev. Mark Tyler, pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church on S 6th Street in Philly’s Society Hill neighborhood.

Tyler recently interviewed Rev. Clementa Pinckney, pastor of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston where a lone gunman killed nine people during a prayer meeting Wednesday morning. In the a snippet of the interview, Pinckney spoke of what it meant to be part of the oldest AME church in the south and the connections of the South Carolina church with Philadelphia.

“It’s a humbling privilege I have to serve as the pastor,” said Pinckney.

Tyler was shocked to learn of his friend’s death.

“Between shock and disbelief and really the tears, it’s unbelievable,” Tyler told NBC10’s Monique Braxton.

Tyler said Pinckney, who also served in the South Carolina Senate was a rising star in the Democratic Party in his state.

“There’s no telling really where he could have gone,” said Tyler. “As a pastor he was diligent, he was outstanding, he had a lot of vision… just a very good person.”

Tyler plans to head to South Carolina to mourn his friend and colleague. Before he goes, the church will hold a prayer vigil Thursday night at 7.



Photo Credit: YouTube

Special Police Officer in Seaside Heights Faces Child Porn Charges

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A seasonal police officer in a popular Jersey Shore town is accused of possessing and distributing child porn.

Kevin Meier, 21, has been charged with one count of third-degree possession of child pornography and one count of second-degree distribution of child pornography.

Meier worked as a seasonal special officer at the Seaside Heights Police Headquarters. He has been fired, investigators said.

The investigation began after a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children advised that someone in Ocean County had uploaded suspected child porn to the Internet.

The Ocean County High Tech Crime Unit traced the uploads to a computer in Meier’s home in Seaside Heights.

On Tuesday, a search warrant was executed at Meier’s home. Investigators say they found files related to child porn during the search.

Meier was taken into custody Wednesday at the Seaside Heights Police Headquarters. Many Jersey Shore towns employ “special officers” -- also called seasonal cops -- to help deal with the influx of tourists in the summer months.

Meier is being held at the Ocean County Jail.



Photo Credit: Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office
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