Lumberton, NJ – It was a wild St. Patrick’s Day celebration for one Democrat mayor in New Jersey, but it ended with her arrest.
Lumberton Mayor Gina LaPlaca was arrested at her home Monday evening, charged with endangering her child following an alleged hit-and-run incident with her son in the vehicle. The arrest marks the latest in a series of legal troubles for the embattled mayor, who was recently fired from her position as Neptune Township administrator earlier this month.
Authorities allege that LaPlaca, 42, struck another vehicle while driving in Mount Laurel and fled the scene. Sources close to the investigation claim she had been drinking prior to the incident. Her son, whose age has not been disclosed, was reportedly in the car at the time of the crash.
Following a report of the hit-and-run, a Lumberton police officer—hired by LaPlaca during her tenure—was dispatched to her residence, where she was taken into custody.
Court records indicate LaPlaca faces charges of Endangering-Abuse/Neglect of a Child by Caretaker and Cruelty and Neglect of Children. She was booked and released pending a court appearance, though additional charges related to the hit-and-run may be forthcoming, according to law enforcement officials.
LaPlaca’s legal woes are not new.
In 2023, while serving as Lumberton’s deputy mayor, she was arrested for allegedly assaulting her husband, Jason Carty, a polarizing political activist with a reputation for stirring controversy. The altercation resulted in both parties being detained, though Carty later took responsibility, and charges against LaPlaca were dropped. The couple’s tumultuous relationship has been a recurring theme in police records, including a 2017 incident report detailing a verbal argument after LaPlaca “arrived home intoxicated.” At the time, Carty, then her boyfriend, left their shared home with his young son.
Dubbed the “Queen of Toxicity” by local critics, LaPlaca’s political career has been marred by scandal and instability. Her dismissal from the Neptune Township administrator role earlier this month followed mounting pressure from colleagues and residents alike, who cited her erratic behavior and prior legal entanglements as reasons for her ouster.
Neither LaPlaca nor her representatives have issued a public statement regarding Tuesday’s arrest. The Lumberton Police Department has declined to comment further, citing an ongoing investigation. Residents of the small New Jersey township expressed shock but not surprise at the mayor’s latest run-in with the law.
“She’s been a trainwreck waiting to happen,” said one anonymous neighbor. “It’s just sad it’s come to this—especially with a kid involved.”
As the case unfolds, questions loom over LaPlaca’s future as mayor and whether she will face additional repercussions from this latest incident. For now, the Lumberton community braces for the fallout of yet another chapter in their mayor’s controversial saga.