October 12 Evening News
NEWS 12 NEW JERSEY REPORTED A MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH A FATAL HIT AND RUN CRASH IN NEWARK. ACCORDING TO PROSECUTORS, MICKAEL ESTEBAN BARRIO-NUEVO MEDINA IS ACCUSED OF STRIKING A PEDESTRIAN AT THE INTERSECTION OF MCCARTER HIGHWAY AND EDISON PLACE SUNDAY NIGHT BEFORE FLEEING THE SCENE. THE VICTIM, JAMES EDWARD KOLLA, WAS RUSHED TO A HOSPITAL WHERE HE LATER DIED FROM HIS INJURIES. AUTHORITIES SAY BARRIO-NUEVO MEDINA IS NOW FACING CHARGES IN THE CASE.
NJ.COM REPORTED POLICE IN HACKENSACK ARE INVESTIGATING AFTER A BODY WAS FOUND INSIDE AN ABANDONED GAS STATION NEAR HACKENSACK HIGH SCHOOL OVER THE WEEKEND. ACCORDING TO HACKENSACK POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL ANTISTA, THE BODY WAS FOUND ON THE PREMISES SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT THE CORNER OF AMERICAN LEGION AND FIRST STREET. THE ABANDONED BUILDING IS LOCATED ACROSS FROM ATHLETIC FIELDS BELONGING TO HACKENSACK HIGH SCHOOL. ANISTA EXPLAINS THAT IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE PERSON WAS USING THE LOCATION AS SHELTER. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION SHOWED NO SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY. POLICE DID NOT SAY WHETHER THEY HAD DETERMINED HOW LONG THE BODY HAD BEEN THERE. CITY POLICE CONTINUED TO INVESTIGATE THE DEATH MONDAY.
NORTHJERSEY.COM REPORTED A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WAS REACHED BETWEEN CHATHAM AND TWO WOMEN AFTER THEY FILED LAWSUITS ALLEGING INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR BY THE CONSTRUCTION AND ZONING OFFICIAL. IN 2024, JEANNE O'GARA AND RAISHAH FRANKLIN FILED SEPARATE LAWSUITS AGAINST JOHN DANIELS, WHO IS THE CONSTRUCTION OFFICIAL AND ZONING OFFICER IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATOR ZIAD SHEHADY. O'GARA AND FRANKILIN CLAIMED THEY WERE FIRED AFTER THEY COMPLAINED ABOUT INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR BY DANIELS. THE ORIGINAL SUITS ACCUSED DANIELS OF UNWANTED TOUCHING AND THAT HIS BEHAVIOR GOT "PROGRESSIVELY WORSE," AND LED TO A DEPARTMENT MEETING WITH SHEHADY, DANIELS, AND CHATHAM TOWNSHIP'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, DEBRA KING. SHEHADY SAID THE TOWNSHIP SETTLED THE SUITS IN JULY, AWARDING O'GARA $225,000 AND FRANKLIN $475,000. HE SAID THE TOWN'S INSURANCE CARRIER WAS "ACTING UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF ITS LEGAL COUNSEL" TO RESOLVE THE COMPLAINTS AND THAT IT WAS TO "AVOID THE INCONVENIENCE AND COST OF LITIGATION." HE ADDED THAT IT WAS NOT AN ADMISSION OF LIABILITY. JOHN DANIELS REMAINS THE TOWNSHIPS CONSTRUCTION AND ZONING OFFICER OF CHATHAM TOWNSHIP.