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Boys Soccer: Can't-miss games for the week of Sept. 25

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A look at the best boys soccer games in New Jersey for the week ahead.


Sheriff's officer, former councilman, found guilty in road rage incident

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Sheriff's Officer Neil Raciti, a former Milltown borough council president, smashed the windshield of a vehicle during a road rage incident in 2015

NEW BRUNSWICK -- A Middlesex County sheriff's officer has been found guilty of a charge stemming from a 2015 road rage incident in which he smashed the windshield of a vehicle.

Neil Raciti, 49, of Milltown, was found guilty of criminal mischief, a disorderly person's offense, on Thursday by Superior Court Judge Benjamin Bucca, the prosecutor's office said. He faces up to 180 days in the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center when he is sentenced in December.

Raciti, who had been a sheriff's officer for 14 years at the time, was a passenger in a vehicle driven by his wife on March 29, 2015, traveling from East Brunswick to South Brunswick, prosecutors said.

During the trip, four teenagers in a car behind the couple tailed close behind the car his wife was driving and Raciti, who was off-duty, got out at a light, approached the car, shouted profanities and smashed the vehicle's windshield with his hands, Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Amber Gibbs said.

After a five-day bench trial, where the judge decided the verdict, Bucca acquitted Raciti of one count of falsely incriminating another and four counts of unsworn falsification to law enforcement.

Raciti, who served as Milltown's borough council president at the time, was suspended from the sheriff's office after he was charged with aggravated assault in September 2015. He has not been allowed to return to duty.

In that case, authorities said Raciti pushed a victim, fracturing the person's elbow and injuring his or her lower back. The victim, whose name was not released, had visible abrasions, court records show.

The alleged attack did not involve Raciti's job and he was off duty at the time, prosecutors said.

Days later, Raciti was arrested on charges he illegally possessed an AR-15 assault rifle and nine loaded high-capacity magazines, authorities said.

It was not immediately clear how his previous cases ended. 

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka.

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Who were N.J.'s best football players last week? Here are 37 top performers

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There were great performances on both sides of the ball in Week 3.

Which high schools have the most girls soccer alums in D1 college soccer?

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Can you name the No. 1 team that produces D1 talent? The answer might surprise you.

Boys soccer Players of the Week for all 15 conferences, Sept. 18-24

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See which players stood out among the rest in week 3 of the boys soccer season.

Woman admits role in heist that led to fatal shooting at couples motel

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Chelsey Mendoza, 20, of the Bronx, pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy to commit a robbery in the June fatal shooting at a couple's motel in Woodbridge.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- A 20-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to a charge she conspired with others in June to rob a man at a Woodbridge couples motel that led to a fatal shooting.

Chelsey Mendoza, of the Bronx, pleaded guilty last week to second-degree conspiracy to commit a robbery before Superior Court Judge Michael Toto. She faces up to five years in prison when sentenced in January.

Mendoza conspired with Cynthia Rivera, 18, and her boyfriend, Martin Martinez Jr., 20, both of whom are from the Bronx, to rob a 24-year-old man after he posted on social media about possessing a large sum of money and jewelry, prosecutors allege. During the robbery, the man was shot and Andrew Torres, 21, was killed, authorities said.

As part of her plea deal, Mendoza agreed to testify against Rivera and Martinez. The two face conspiracy and murder charges.

According to authorities, Mendoza, Rivera, Torres and the unidentified 24-year-old man rented a room June 21 at the Loop Inn Motel in the Avenel section of Woodbridge. While they were in a jacuzzi, Martinez and another unnamed man arrived armed with handguns and fatally shot Torres when he answered their knock on the door, prosecutors said.

The unnamed 24-year-old, who had posted about the money, was shot multiple times and taken to University Hospital in Newark in critical condition. Before undergoing surgery, the man told authorities he had never met the women before that night, prosecutors said.

In answering questions from her public defender last week, Mendoza said her role in the robbery was to keep the two men occupied with Rivera while Martinez and the unnamed gunman robbed them.

During a hearing in August, prosecutors said Rivera plotted the heist, something her defense team denied she did alone. Rivera has admitted they planned to rob the 24-year-old man, but said "this went too far," her attorney, Anthony Fazioli, has said in court.

Police responded to the shooting shortly after 4:50 a.m. at the motel, where officers found Torres, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A motel clerk told police that Torres rented a room at the motel early that morning, and about an hour later, Mendoza and the unnamed man arrived at the desk and said they were there for a party. The clerk did not give them access into the motel, so the two rented a room under the name Martin Martinez, prosecutors have said.

Asked about the other alleged gunman, a spokeswoman said the prosecutor's office could not disclose any further information about the case at this time. 

Authorities have said Martinez's phone number pinged off cell towers near the motel at the time of the shooting. His car was seen on camera traveling over the George Washington Bridge into New York about half an hour after the shooting, prosecutors said. 

Martinez turned himself into authorities about two weeks after the shooting. 

About a week later, Rivera turned herself in and the prosecutor's office announced that Mendoza, who was also initially charged with hindering her own apprehension and hindering the apprehension of another, had been arrested.

The motel opened in 1988 and is advertised as a romantic "scenic hide-away" that caters to couples looking for a getaway for their honeymoon or anniversary.

The New York Police Department assisted Woodbridge police and the prosecutor's office in the case.

Luke Nozicka can be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com or on Twitter @lukenozicka.

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Man killed in crash during police chase that spanned 2 counties

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The pursuit began in Edison and ended around midnight in Plainfield

PLAINFIELD -- A man was killed in a crash after being chased by police from Edison into Plainfield on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

The crash took place on Woodland Avenue around midnight when the suspect crashed into a pole, according to authorities. 

Questions to Edison police were referred to the Union County Prosecutor's Office, with its Homicide Task Force handling the investigation.

A spokesman for the Union County Prosecutor's Office said he had no information yet about the condition of the police officer or the details of the pursuit.

 


 

26 must-see high school football games for Week 4 (Some on Thursday)

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Here are 26 must-see games throughout New Jersey in Week 4, according to the high school football staff at NJ.com.


Which N.J. high schools have most boys soccer alums playing D-1 in college?

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Can you name the No. 1 team that produces D1 talent? The answer might surprise you.

These 7 N.J. companies rank in top 100 for working moms, magazine says

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Johnson & Johnson had made Working Mother magazine's list 32 years in a row

Police ask for help finding teen who has been missing for weeks

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Franklin Township police are asking for the public's help in finding Briana Rice, 17, who has been missing since the beginning of September.

FRANKLIN TWP. - Police are asking for the public's help in finding a 17-year-old girl who has been missing since the beginning of the month.

Briana Rice left her home in Franklin Township at the beginning of September and last contacted her legal guardian on Sept. 3. Police said she has friends in the New Brunswick and Asbury Park areas and uses NJ Transit to travel between the two.

She was last seen wearing a black T-shirt, gray sweat pants and gray New Balance sneakers, police said. She is light skinned with black hair and black eyes, 5-feet, 2-inches tall and weighs about 130 pounds.

Anyone with information about Rice can contact Det. Mark Keller at 732-873-5533, ext. 3148, or the Franklin Township Communications Center at 732-873-2300.

Craig Turpin may be reached at cturpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @NJeditor.

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Authorities ID man killed in 2-county police chase crash

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Dem-Quan Royal crashed into a tree after an Edison officer pursued him into Plainfield, authorities said

PLAINFIELD -- A 30-year-old Plainfield man was identified as the man who died in a fatal crash early Wednesday after leading police on a two-county chase.

An Edison police officer followed the car Dem-Quan Royal was driving from Edison into Plainfield, where Royal's car struck a tree on the 800 block of Woodland Avenue shortly after midnight, authorities said. 

Royal was pronounced dead at the scene, the Union County Prosecutor's Office said. 

Royal was previously convicted of heroin possession and shoplifting in October 2012 at Bob's Store, a clothing and shoe store, in Springfield. 

Prosecutors ask anyone with information about Wednesday's crash to call Prosecutor's Office Sgt. Jose Vendas at 908-358-3048. 

Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati or on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook

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Man indicted on charges he waved gun at crowd on the Fourth of July

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Alberto Gomez, 22, of Bergen Court, was indicted Thursday on charges he waved a TEC-9 semi-automatic firearm at a crowd of people on July 4.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- A 22-year-old city man was indicted Thursday on charges he waved a gun at a crowd of people on the Fourth of July in the city's Robeson Village neighborhood, court records show.

Alberto Gomez, of Bergen Court, was indicted on charges of aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and possession of a defaced firearm, among other offenses, according to court documents.

At 11:30 p.m. July 4, authorities responded to reports of a large disturbance and a man with a firearm in the parking lot in the neighborhood, Police Capt. J.T. Miller said. A criminal complaint alleges that during a fight there, Gomez retrieved a TEC-9 semi-automatic firearm from the trunk of a vehicle and waived it at a crowd of people.

The weapon's serial number was scratched off, according to the complaint. Gomez was also illegally in possession of a large capacity ammunition magazine and hollow-point bullets, court records show.

Gomez was arrested two days later, police said.

The gun and boxes of ammunition were recovered in a wooded area near Jersey Avenue, where authorities said they were hidden.

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka.

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Vintage photos of taverns and bars in N.J.

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Places to wet your whistle.

635804286217047741-cent-ext-crosby.jpgAn exceedingly rare photo of the K&O in Vineland, taken in the early 1960s. 

The K&O Bar on Sixth Street in Vineland was an "old man bar," one of many drinking establishments in the state to wear that badge of honor.

The expression "old man bar" is a term of endearment, for sure; it is a label that a tavern must earn.

The K&O was the kind of place where a dad, like mine, would take a child for his first bar sandwich. I honestly believe mine was liverwurst, and I most definitely remember the pickle that came with it. I also remember the feeling of being completely welcome.

It was a bar where a "regular" would occupy the same stool each time he entered; it was where the drinks and decor were simple; it was where $20 could go a long way.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

So, I was brought to the K&O when I was a kid, but I should note that I chose to go there when I became "legal" in 1976. I never knew exactly when it closed; the last time I saw the building, there was a "for rent" sign in the window.

One of my favorite old man bars may be gone, but I say "cheers" to the ones that still dot neighborhoods in New Jersey.

Here's another gallery of vintage bars and taverns in New Jersey. And here is a link to more of them covered in a previous gallery.

Vintage photos of bars and watering holes in N.J.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Serious crash closes Route 130, could cause hours of delays

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The accident occurred on the southbound side of the highway at the intersection of Finnegans Lane sometime around 7 a.m.

UPDATE: Driver killed in 1-car crash that jammed Rt. 130 for hours


NORTH BRUNSWICK -- A serious crash on Route 130 is expected to cause hours of delays in the area, police said. 

The crash occurred on the southbound side of the highway at the intersection of Finnegans Lane around 7 a.m., according to officials.  All lanes of Route 130 are closed as of 7:40 a.m., according to 511nj.org.

In a Facebook post, North Brunswick police urge drivers to avoid the area as the investigation could continue for hours and cause lane closures.

Police did not immediately respond to a request for additional details. 

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.  

Craig McCarthy may be reached at 732-372-2078 or at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Surprise: These 27 football teams are exceeding expectations to start 2017

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Some have struggled for decades others are proving talent never graduates.

Grizzled vets: N.J.'s Top 75 girls soccer seniors - our picks, you vote

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A look at the Top 75 senior girls soccer players in New Jersey.

N.J. football Week 4 mega-coverage guide: Everything you need for the games

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Your one-stop shop for Week 4.

Below is NJ.com's mega-coverage guide for Week 4. Keep track of schedules, predictions, previews, features and breaking news from around the state all the way up until kickoff.

ESSENTIALS 
 Must-see games for Week 4
Week 4 schedule/scoreboard
Schedule/scoreboard by conference
• Statewide stat leaders through Week 3
 Power points updated through Week 3

RANKINGS 
 Top 20
Group and conference rankings

PICKS 
NJ.com predicts every winner in the state
Scores and predictions for Top 20 teams
Picks for each of N.J.'s six conferences

MUST-READ CONTENT  
 Did refs go after HS football teams that knelt for anthem in 2016? 2 coaches say yes 
 Can N.J. schools punish students for NFL-style 'take a knee' protests?
• Presidents Cup affecting football schedule at Caven Point in Jersey City
 Delaware Valley football playing well despite being inexperienced
Delaware Valley 12th Man Club announces Trenton area football standouts for the week 
• Times of Trenton Football Players of the Week: Notre Dame's Williams twins, Nottingham's Pierre

A LOOK BACK AT WEEK 2 
 Results and links for Week 2
 36 standouts who shined during Week 3 
N.J. football hot takes: The biggest, best, brightest of Week 3

Week 3 stat leaders 
•  Best photos from Week 3

RECRUITING NEWS  
 Big Ten football recruiting rankings: Ohio State or Penn State on top? Rutgers in top 10?

Matt Stypulkoski may be reached at mstypulkoski@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @M_Stypulkoski. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.

Driver killed in 1-car crash that jammed Rt. 130 for hours

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Kenneth Birkett crashed off the southbound side of the road near Finnegans Lane at 6:14 a.m.

NORTH BRUNSWICK -- A 38-year-old township man was killed in a crash Thursday morning on Route 130 that snarled traffic in the area for hours, police said. 

Kenneth Birkett crashed off the southbound side of the road near Finnegans Lane at 6:14 a.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene, North Brunswick Capt. Brian Hoiberg said. 

Birkett was driving northbound in his 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee just before the crash, however, it was not known how the single-car accident occurred. 

Traffic on 130 was affected in both directions for hours, Hoiberg said. 

The investigation is ongoing.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at 732-372-2078 or at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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20 high school football bold predictions for Week 4

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What will be the big news coming out of the last weekend in september

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