GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ – The Gloucester Township Police Department announced their participation in the national “Click it or Ticket” campaign, aimed at enforcing seat belt usage. The campaign begins on May 20 and will continue until June 2. This enforcement effort will include high visibility seat belt checkpoints and saturation patrols, specifically targeting areas in town with a high incidence of crashes involving unrestrained occupants.
In addition to road enforcement, Gloucester Township Police Officers from the Traffic Safety Unit will be engaging with high school seniors. They will deliver presentations focused on the risks of driving without a seat belt and the dangers of impaired driving, coinciding with the prom season. This initiative is part of a broader national effort to highlight the life-saving benefits of wearing seat belts.
- Fatal crashes have risen in New Jersey since migrant driver’s license law took effect
TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey’s five-year average for traffic fatalities has risen steadily over the past decade, with the sharpest increases occurring around the time the state began allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, according to state data.
But is there a direct correlation between the increase in fatal crashes and the legalization of illegal aliens being given driver’s licenses by Governor Phil Murphy?
From the 2013–2017 period to 2018–2022, the average annual traffic fatalities increased from 577 to 618, marking a 7.1% rise, according to figures from the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
The most significant jump came between the 2016–2020 and 2017–2021 periods, with fatalities increasing by 19 — a 3.2% spike.
New Jersey’s policy to issue standard driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants took effect on May 1, 2021.
The law, signed by Governor Phil Murphy in December 2019, was intended to improve road safety by ensuring all drivers were trained, tested, and insured.
“The purpose of the policy was to increase road safety by ensuring all drivers are trained, tested, and insured,” according to the law’s stated goals.
The 2017–2021 five-year period — which includes the first eight months of the new policy — saw fatalities rise to 605, up from 586 in the previous window. The trend continued in the 2018–2022 period, when the average climbed again to 618, representing a 5.5% increase from 2016–2020.
Contextual factors driving fatality increases
Several broader factors are being contributed to the overall rise, by those defending illegal driver’s licenses.
These include changes in driving behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic — which saw emptier roads lead to riskier driving — as well as statewide population growth and increased smartphone-related distracted driving.
The number of new drivers, including those newly licensed under the undocumented immigrant policy, may have added to overall road volume, potentially raising the risk of collisions.
However, new drivers are statistically more prone to accidents regardless of immigration status or background.
Infrastructure challenges and road maintenance in certain high-traffic areas of New Jersey may also play a role in fatal crashes. Meanwhile, without public access to specific data on how many undocumented immigrants have received licenses or their involvement in fatal accidents, the connection between the license policy and fatalities remains inconclusive.
Key Points
- New Jersey’s five-year traffic fatality average rose 7.1% from 2013–2017 to 2018–2022.
- The state began issuing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants in May 2021.
- Lack of data on crashes involving newly licensed undocumented drivers limits conclusions.
To determine whether the license policy has had a direct effect on road safety, experts say further analysis is needed, including detailed crash data involving newly licensed undocumented drivers and the causes of fatal crashes.
Fatal crashes continued to rise in New Jersey as undocumented immigrant driver policy took effect.
- Ex-wife arrested for running over woman walking with her former husband
AUBURNDALE, FL — A 41-year-old woman was arrested last week after allegedly using her vehicle to intentionally run over another woman she saw walking with her estranged husband, Polk County authorities announced.
Christdon Reese was taken into custody on April 11, one day after Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives obtained a warrant charging her with attempted first-degree murder, trespassing, and violation of probation. She was located on Tower Manor Circle East and booked into the Polk County Jail.
The incident occurred April 10 when the victim and her boyfriend — identified as Reese’s estranged husband — were walking near a Circle K at 4950 U.S. Hwy 92 East. According to investigators, Reese spotted the pair, made a U-turn in a nearby Family Dollar parking lot, and accelerated toward them on Old Dixie Highway. The victim attempted to flee but was struck by Reese’s white Volkswagen Jetta as she ran down a residential driveway.
Reese then fled the scene at a high rate of speed. Surveillance footage from Circle K captured the U-turn maneuver moments before the incident. The victim was transported to a local hospital by Polk County Fire Rescue and treated for two spinal fractures. She is expected to recover.
A resident at the property where the incident occurred told deputies Reese did not have permission to be there, resulting in an additional trespassing charge. Reese is also facing a violation of probation charge related to a prior conviction.
Key Points
- Christdon Reese, 41, was arrested for attempted murder after allegedly running over a woman with her car.
- The attack occurred after Reese saw the victim walking with Reese’s estranged husband.
- The victim suffered spinal fractures but is expected to recover.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd called the case a disturbing example of domestic violence escalating into near-fatal action.
- Jackson Heights drug ring busted after 17-month undercover operation
QUEENS, NY — Nine people have been indicted following a long-term investigation into a street-level drug dealing operation centered on 95th Street in Jackson Heights, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Monday.
The 17-month investigation, led by the DA’s Major Economic Crimes Bureau and the NYPD’s Queens North Narcotics Bureau, resulted in 40 undercover buys of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine, totaling nearly $13,000 in street value. Seven suspects were arrested and arraigned on a 142-count indictment that includes charges of criminal sale and possession of controlled substances.
DA Katz described the alleged operation as a major public safety issue. “As alleged, these defendants sold deadly fentanyl along with cocaine and crack on or near a residential street in Jackson Heights. The transactions took place in plain view,” she said. One disturbing incident involved a child allegedly being used to facilitate a fentanyl transaction.
According to investigators, sales were routinely conducted between 35th and 37th Avenues on 95th Street, often in broad daylight. In one case, defendant Rodolfo Lopez allegedly told an undercover officer to give $500 to a child for fentanyl, later retrieved from a parked car. In another instance, Lopez reportedly left a plastic bag of narcotics on a vehicle windshield for pick-up.
The investigation, which began in August 2023, resulted in the seizure of 88.5 grams of fentanyl, 85.9 grams of cocaine, and 4.5 grams of crack. Two defendants remain at large.
Court dates set for apprehended suspects
Queens Supreme Court Justice Karen Gopee ordered Lopez, Rosario, and Fernandez to return to court on May 7. Rodriguez, Aurandzeb, Moncayo, and Romero are scheduled to appear May 5. The arrests took place between April 1 and April 11.
Key Points
- Nine individuals indicted in Jackson Heights drug operation; seven have been arrested.
- Undercover officers made 40 buys totaling $12,905 in fentanyl, cocaine, and crack.
- One alleged sale involved handing money to a child to facilitate a fentanyl transaction.
Officials say the arrests bring relief to residents of Jackson Heights and mark a major step in disrupting dangerous street-level drug sales.
- Speed study finds no major speeding issue on Whitehall Drive in Upper Moreland
UPPER MORELAND TOWNSHIP, PA — The Upper Moreland Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit has concluded a speed study on Whitehall Drive following a resident’s complaint about excessive speeding. The study found that speeding is not a significant issue in the area.
The seven-day study, conducted near Whitehall Drive and Hideaway Drive, showed that only 4.45% of drivers exceeded the enforcement threshold. The average vehicle speed was 22.15 MPH, below the posted 25 MPH speed limit. The 85th percentile speed — the speed at or below which 85% of vehicles travel — was 30.19 MPH.
More than 3,300 vehicles were recorded during the study period. Crash data reviewed over the past five years did not indicate a public safety hazard on the roadway.
Whitehall Drive previously underwent a speed study in 2019, after which police implemented targeted enforcement. Since then, speeding violations have decreased by 6%, the average speed dropped by 4 MPH, and the 85th percentile speed has dropped by 3 MPH.
Key Points
- A speed study on Whitehall Drive found average speeds below the posted 25 MPH limit.
- Only 4.45% of drivers met the threshold for enforcement.
- Speeding violations and average speeds have declined since 2019 enforcement efforts.
Officials say they will continue enforcement and reinstall speed lines to maintain traffic safety along Whitehall Drive.
- Woman charged for stabbing dog then posting video to social media
A 29-year-old Detroit woman has been charged in connection with the non-fatal stabbing of her dog after authorities allege she posted a video of the injured animal to social media before fleeing the state.
Jordan Love was arraigned Monday morning in 36th District Court, where she was charged with Animals – Killing/Torturing – Second Degree, a felony punishable by up to seven years in prison, and Abandoning/Cruelty to Four to Ten Animals, which carries a maximum penalty of two years.
According to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, on February 7 at approximately 2:00 p.m., Detroit Animal Control officers responded to reports of a dog stabbing at a home in the 15200 block of Manning Street. Officers forced entry and discovered the injured dog in the basement with multiple stab wounds to its torso.
Authorities allege Love stabbed the dog around 1:30 a.m. that day and then posted a video of the wounded animal to social media. She fled Michigan shortly afterward, officials said.
She was located more than a month later in Greenville, South Carolina, on March 20 and extradited back to Michigan. Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office detectives transported her back, with her arrival reported in the late afternoon of April 9.
Love’s arraignment resulted in a $50,000 cash or surety bond with a GPS tether. A bond re-determination hearing is set for Monday, followed by a probable cause conference on April 21 and a preliminary examination on April 28.
Prosecutor cites push for stronger animal cruelty laws
“The WCPO has always taken the abuse of animals very seriously,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “Although we never really anticipated the alleged brutality and cruelty that this case represents… this case is a clear representation of why better laws were needed.”
Officials also seized three dogs and four cats from Love’s residence as part of the investigation. The condition and current custody of the animals were not immediately released.
Key Points
- Jordan Love, 29, is charged in the stabbing of her dog and cruelty to multiple animals.
- Authorities allege she posted a video of the injured dog before fleeing Michigan.
- She was arrested in South Carolina and extradited back to Detroit in early April.
Love remains under court supervision pending her upcoming hearings in Detroit.