Day: February 18, 2023

Hamilton, Hamilton, Mercer County

Trenton Man Identified As Victim Of I-295 Crash In Hamilton Township

February 18, 2023

Update:

HAMILTON, NJ (MERCER)–Sgt. Philip Curry of the New Jersey State Police, Office of Public Information, told MidJersey.News a crash occurred at 12:07 p.m. on I-295 northbound Exit 65B in Hamilton Township, Mercer County. Preliminary investigation revealed that an Infinity G37, operated by Shawn Robinson, 46, of Trenton, NJ, was traveling I-295 north on the 65B exit ramp to Sloan Avenue (milepost 65.4), when the Infiniti struck the left curb, ran off the road to the left, impacted multiple trees, overturned, and struck the guardrail on the 65B entrance ramp. Robinson sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash. The 65B entrance and exit ramps were closed for about six hours but the mainline remained open. The crash remains under investigation.

Original MidJersey.News story below:

HAMILTON, NJ (Mercer) – The driver was killed when a vehicle crashed on Interstate 295 at the Sloan Avenue interchange (Exit 65) this afternoon (Saturday, Feb. 18). The identity of the deceased has not yet been released by state police.

The deadly accident was reported about 12:10 p.m. Hamilton firefighters and EMS personnel who were dispatched arrived to find the vehicle, which had apparently veered off the road from the northbound lanes, overturned on the ramp leading from westbound Sloan Avenue to northbound I-295.

The driver was trapped in the wreckage. Hamilton firefighters quickly went to work to extricate the driver but once access had been gained to the interior of the vehicle it was discovered the person had already passed away.

Northbound traffic on I-295 was slowed as a result of lane closures to accommodate all the emergency vehicles and state police cars. Hamilton police and New Jersey Department of Transportation personnel assisted by closing the ramps to northbound 1-295 from Sloan Avenue.

The victims was extricated by Hamilton Township Firefighters at approximately 3:20 p.m.

At 3:35 p.m. all Hamilton Fire Department units clear of the investigation.

The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by state police at the time of this report.

The scene at Interstate 295 Exit 65B this afternoon.

Hopewell, Mercer County

Overturned Tractor-Trailer In Hopewell Township

February 18, 2023

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, NJ (Mercer) – A tractor-trailer overturned and came to rest on its side just feet from a home on Ingleside Avenue this morning (Saturday, Feb. 18).

Volunteer firefighters from Pennington, Union (Titusville) and West Trenton fire companies, along with volunteer and career EMS personnel from Pennington First Aid Squad and Hopewell Township Fire District 1, were dispatched at 10:53 a.m. for a reported overturned vehicle at the intersection of Washington Crossing-Pennington Road and Reed Road/Ingleside Avenue.

Township police and emergency personnel arrived to find a tractor-trailer laying on its side on the front lawn of the home at 219 Ingleside Avenue. The driver was not trapped and was reportedly uninjured.

Police and emergency personnel from Mother’s Recovery using a heavy-duty wrecker working to upright the wreckage and cleanup the scene.   

Ocean County, Toms River

Victim’s Death In Fatal Toms River Structure Fire Ruled Accidental

February 21, 2023 (update)

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on February 18, 2023, the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office performed a post mortem examination of Billy Kimbrough, 76, of Toms River, whose body was discovered in a structure fire on Roberts Road in Toms River Township on February 16, 2023.  The examination concluded that Mr. Kimbrough’s cause of death was Asphyxia Due to Smoke Inhalation and his manner of death is accidental.  

On February 16, 2023, at approximately 3:00 p.m., Officers from the Toms River Township Police Department and Toms River Township Fire Departments were dispatched to a reported structure fire on Roberts Road.  During the primary search of the residence, the body of a deceased male later identified as Mr. Kimbrough, the occupant of the residence, was discovered. 

A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and the Toms River Township Bureau of Fire Prevention, determined that the fire originated on a mattress in the only bedroom of the residence and that smoking cannot be eliminated as the cause of the fire. 

Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Toms River Township Police Department, Toms River Township Bureau of Fire Prevention, and the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, for their combined and cooperative efforts in connection with this investigation.

February 18, 2023

TOMS RIVER, NJ (OCEAN)–Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that the fatal structure fire that occurred on Roberts Road in Toms River Township on February 16, 2023 has been ruled accidental.

On February 16, 2023, at approximately 3:00 p.m., Officers from the Toms River Township Police Department and Toms River Township Fire Departments were dispatched to a reported structure fire on Roberts Road.  During the primary search of the residence, the body of a deceased male later identified as Billy Kimbrough, 76, the occupant of the residence, was discovered. 

A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and the Toms River Township Bureau of Fire Prevention, determined that the fire originated on a mattress in the only bedroom of the residence and that smoking cannot be eliminated as the cause of the fire.  A post mortem examination of the victim is scheduled for today.

Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Toms River Township Police Department, Toms River Township Bureau of Fire Prevention, and the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, for their combined and cooperative efforts in connection with this investigation.

Fatal Fire Under Investigation In Toms River

Photos by: Ryan Mack, Jersey Shore Fire Response

Brick, Ocean County

Car Fire Extinguished At Ocean Medical Center ER Parking Lot

February 18, 2023

BRICK TOWNSHIP, NJ (OCEAN)–Around 7:15 a.m. Brick Police received a report of a car fire in the Emergency Room parking lot at Ocean Medical Center. The caller reported the car was in the lot with other cars around it. Chief 2300 arrived first and confirmed the working car fire with other vehicles as multiple exposures. When the engine arrived a 1 3/4″ hose line was stretched to attack the vehicle fire. It appears that was some extension to the other vehicles in the parking lot.

Story, photos and video by: Ryan Mack Jersey Shore Fire Response

Hamilton, Hamilton, Mercer County

Pair Charged With Criminal Attempt Homicide And Weapons Offences In Hamilton

February 18, 2023

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–On Friday, February 17, 2023 at approximately 4:03 a.m., Hamilton Police were dispatched to the area of Ellwood Street on a report of shots fired.  Officers were also advised there was a disturbance at the QuickChek on the 1100 block of South Olden Avenue that may have been connected.  Responding Officers located broken glass in the middle of the street on Ellwood Street.   The victims and their vehicle were located in the parking lot of the QuickChek.   Officers located video surveillance in the area of the shooting and saw a vehicle pull up to the victim’s vehicle which was parked on Ellwood Street.  The suspect yelled at the victims and fired seven shots into the victim’s vehicle.  Officers spoke to the male and female victim who stated there was an argument with the male suspect in the parking lot of QuickChek over comments made inside the store to the female victim.  The male suspect entered a black vehicle that the female suspect was driving.  The victims left the parking lot in their vehicle and drove to Ellwood Street where they parked.  Shortly after the suspect vehicle pulled alongside and fired into their vehicle.  The victims then drove back to QuickChek for help.     

Hamilton Police Detectives put out an alert to surrounding agencies with the surveillance photos of the suspects.  Ewing Police identified the female as Ashley Stehr, 29, of Ewing and the Mercer County Prosecutors Office identified the male suspect as Shihee Fowler, 36, of Trenton.  Complaints were signed against both suspects.  The Hamilton Police Anti-Crime Unit located Stehr at her residence in Ewing at 8:27 p.m. and placed her under arrest.  They also located Fowler in Trenton at 9:45 p.m. and placed him under arrest.  Both Stehr and Fowler were charged with Criminal Attempt Homicide, Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purpose, and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.  Stehr and Fowler were taken to the Mercer County Correctional Center pending a detention hearing.

The Hamilton Police Department would like to thank the Ewing Police Department and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.

Ewing Police identified the female as Ashley Stehr, 29, of Ewing and the Mercer County Prosecutors Office identified the male suspect as Shihee Fowler, 36, of Trenton. Both Stehr and Fowler were charged with Criminal Attempt Homicide, Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purpose, and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.