NJ.COM REPORTED THAT THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WILL VOTE IN NOVEMBER TO GRANT STATES AND LOCAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES THE ABILITY TO JAM CONTRABAND CELL PHONES IN PRISONS AND JAILS. FCC CHAIRMAN BRENDAN CARR ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY THAT 25,000 PHONES ARE SEIZED IN JAILS ANNUALLY, WITH INMATES USING THEM AT EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH RATES TO ORDER HITS, RUN DRUG OPERATIONS, ENABLE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL AND A VARIETY OF OTHER CRIMES. HE EXPLAINS THEY ARE NOT GIVING STATE AND LOCAL PRISONS A TOOL THEY'VE BEEN DENIED FOR YEARS. IF THE MEASURE PASSES, IT WOULD NOT MANDATE PHONE JAMMING BUT WOULD GIVE AUTHORITIES THAT OPTION. AN FCC NEWS RELEASE SAYS THE PLAN INCLUDES THE REQUIREMENT FOR TESTING TO PROVE THAT THE EFFECT OF THE TECHNOLOGY WILL BE LIMITED TO THE DESIGNATED GEOGRAPHIC AREAS. THE VOTE WILL TAKE PLACE ON NOV. 19.
NJ.COM REPORTED THAT A 25-YEAR-OLD NEW JERSEY MAN WAS ARRESTED AFTER A UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT ATTENDANT SAW HIM SENDING A TEXT ABOUT HIJACKING THE PLANE. HE CLAIMED HE WAS DRUNK AND MEANT NO HARM. DANTE MILNE TOLD INVESTIGATORS HE HAD ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AT HARRY REID INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN LAS VEGAS BEFORE SATURDAY NIGHT’S FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO NYPOST.COM, HE WAS TEXTING WITH A FRIEND SEATED IN A DIFFERENT ROW ON THE PLANE. THE REPORT SAID THE UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 1681 WAS BOUND FOR NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BUT RETURNED TO LAS VEGAS SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. ACCORDING TO A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT OBTAINED BY THE POST, MILNE WAS UNAWARE THAT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT SAW THE TEXT, WHICH DESCRIBED MILNE HIJACKING THE PLANE AND CRASHING THE ROW WHERE HIS FRIEND WAS SEATED. MILNE WAS CHARGED WITH MAKING THREATS OR CONVEYING FALSE INFORMATION REGARDING AN ACT OF TERRORISM. HE WAS BROUGHT TO THE CLARK COUNTY DETENTION CENTER BEFORE BEING RELEASED ON $10,000 BAIL. MILNE WAS RETURNING TO NEW JERSEY AFTER ATTENDING A WORK APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM FOR UNDERWATER WELDING. ACCORDING TO FLIGHTAWARE.COM, THE FLIGHT TOOK OFF FROM LAS VEGAS AT 10:52 P.M. AND RETURNED TO LAS VEGAS AT 11:36 P.M. PASSENGERS WERE REBOOKED ON A SUNDAY MORNING FLIGHT.
NEWS 12 NEW JERSEY REPORTED ON WEDNESDAY EVENING THAT A MALE BODY WAS DISCOVERED FLOATING OFF THE NEWARK BAY TUESDAY MORNING IN BAYONNE. THE HUDSON COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE SAYS AUTHORITIES WERE NOTIFIED ABOUT THE SIGHTING NEAR STEPHEN R. GREGG COUNTY PARK AROUND 11:30 AM. EMERGENCY RESPONDERS RUSHED TO THE SCENE AND REMOVED THE BODY. OFFICIALS ARE WORKING TO IDENTIFY THE INDIVIDUAL AND DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF DEATH.
NEWS 12 NEW JERSEY REPORTED THAT ON WEDNESDAY, POLICE ANNOUNCED THE ARREST OF A 25-YEAR-OLD PASSAIC COUNTY MAN IN CONNECTION WITH A HIT-AND-RUN CRASH THAT SERIOUSLY INJURED A PEDESTRIAN IN HOBOKEN EARLIER THIS MONTH. ANDRII GUSTAL OF HASKELL WAS ARRESTED AT HIS HOME TUESDAY AFTER AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE OCTOBER 3RD CRASH AT 15TH AND HUDSON STREETS. POLICE SAID A HOBOKEN WOMAN WAS CROSSING 15TH STREET IN A CROSSWALK AROUND 12:55 AM WHEN SHE WAS STRUCK BY A DARK-COLORED SUV. THE DRIVER FLED WEST ON 15TH STREET. GUSTAL WAS CHARGED WITH ASSAULT BY AUTO, KNOWINGLY LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, ENDANGERING AN INJURED VICTIM AND OBSTRUCTING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LAW. HE ALSO RECEIVED MOTOR VEHICLE SUMMONSES FOR FAILURE TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN, FAILURE TO YIELD TO A PEDESTRIAN, RECKLESS DRIVING, LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT, AND FAILURE TO REPORT AN ACCIDENT. GUSTAL WAS PROCESSED AT HOBOKEN POLICE HEADQUARTERS AND RELEASED ON A SUMMONS. THE INJURED WOMAN WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL AND HAS SINCE BEEN RELEASED, AND MAJOR EMILY JABBOUR SAID SHE CONTINUES TO RECOVER AT HOME. AFTER THE CRASH, THE CITY INSTALLED ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES AT THE INTERSECTION, SUCH AS A FLASHING LED STOP SIGN, REFLECTIVE PAVEMENT MARKINGS AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSING SIGNS, AND MORE TRAFFIC-CALMING MEASURES ARE PLANNED FOR 15TH STREET IN THE COMING WEEKS.