Police & Fire Top Stories
By JENNIFER DERICKS
September 29, 2025
SPARTA, NJ – The community is invited to the Sparta Township Fire Department’s annual open house on Sunday, October 5 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Residents of all ages are invited to meet Sparta’s local volunteer fire fighters, tour the fire house and even check out the trucks. There will be ...
SPARTA, NJ – Join members of the Sparta Police Department for conversation and a cup of coffee, snacks and crafts for children. On Wednesday, October 1 from 9 to 11 a.m. the Sparta Library will host this popular event.
SPARTA, NJ – A couple from Wantage have been arrested on fraud and gun charges, according to Sparta Police Captain Thomas Snyder. Lisa Carratura, 46 and Timothy Bruzik, 42, were arrested after an investigation that began March 31, 2025 and involved the Sparta Police, primarily Det. Herd and Sussex ...
STANHOPE, NJ – The Stanhope Police Department is attempting to locate 36-year-old Dan Butkus. Dan was last seen at his Stonegate Village apartment in Stanhope, NJ on May 16, 2025. The police searched the apartment complex and the surrounding area but were unable to locate Mr. Butkus. His family and ...
SPARTA, NJ – A Paterson man reported to police for driving erratically on Route 15 is facing several charges including drunk driving, according to police.On August 23 around 10:17 p.m. Ptl J Poon stopped Hector Cintron, 52 in a black Honda after the officer saw him unable to stay in his lane and ...
SPARTA, NJ – An Hopatcong man was reported to police after he was seen slumped over his steering wheel for “a long period of time,” in the parking lot in front of Casa Mia. Emil Vanderpaauw, 62 is facing drunk driving charges after a concerned citizen called 9-1-1 on August 24 around 10:30 p.m., ...
SPARTA, NJ – A Sparta woman is facing drunk driving charges after being reported to police by a concerned citizen. On August 23 around 2:46 p.m., police received a 9-1-1 call about a woman appearing to be intoxicated, seen stumbling in the Liquor Factory parking lot before getting into her car and ...
SPARTA, NJ – The township council approved the purchase of three new police vehicles as well as all the gear needed to get them ready for patrol. Sparta Township Police Chief Jeff McCarrick said they expect to have the new vehicles in the patrol rotation in about 12 to 15 weeks.“We were able to ...
SPARTA, NJ – A flyover by the New Jersey State Police Northstar helicopter kicked off the graduation and awards ceremony for the 2025 Junior Police Academy. Four days of activity were capped off by a ceremony on the Nicholson stage for the recruits for the Class of 2025.Family and friends gathered ...
SPARTA, NJ – The second day of Sparta Police Department’s Junior Police Academy had a full schedule for the recruits. They were visited by the New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad who demonstrated their robot and shared details of their duties.Maywood, New Jersey K9 Sgt. Chris Nichols and his summer ...
SPARTA, NJ – This year’s Junior Police Academy has a large class of 78 recruits. Sparta Police Department’s week-long experience is for area children entering grades four through eight. On Tuesday, the recruits started the day at Mohawk Avenue School learning about how they were expected to ...
SPARTA, NJ – The Sparta Township Police officers will be taking part in a campaign to raise awareness of and enforce the “Move Over, Slow Down” laws.“Sparta Township was awarded a $7000 grant from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety for officers to enforce and educate motorists on ...
SPARTA, NJ – Lock your car and take the keys with you. It is “Vehicle Theft Prevention Month.” Sparta Police Chief Jeff McCarrick reminded residents of a few tips to prevent their car or truck from being stolen.Lock your vehicleTake your keys with youDo not leave valuable belongings in plain sight ...
SPARTA, NJ – After driving off the road and into the woods, a Newark man is facing charges that include drunk driving. On July 12 around 11:26 p.m. Sparta Ptl Christopher Favaro, Ptl Michael Poon, Ptl Brian Gallagher and Ptl Kyle Stoll found Ciro Antecio-Martinez, 28, crashed off West Mountain ...
SPARTA, NJ – A single car accident resulted in a fatality on the evening of Friday, June 20. The accident was on Woodport Road,on the “curve between the fir house and the bowling alley,” according to police. The driver hit a tree, police said. “Upon arrival, officers confirmed that the sole ...
SPARTA, NJ – In the wake of the recent shootings in Minnesota, in which the shooter appeared to be a man falsely representing himself as a police officer, some residents were asking how best to proceed if police knock on the door. Sparta Police Lt. Joseph Antonello spoke with TAPinto Sparta about ...
SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ – A Sparta woman and Texas man pled guilty to charges related to child pornography according to an announcement by US Attorney Alina Habba. Dominique Saczawa, 34 and Russell Lynn Davis Jr, 47 of Heller, TX pleaded guilty in federal court before US District Judge Edward S Kiel in ...
SPARTA, NJ – Two men are facing numerous charges related to the operations of Green Remedies and Zenshine Smoke Shop in Sparta after an investigation that spanned more than a year, Sparta Police Chief Jeffery McCarrick said. Devin Pupo, 38-year-old Sparta resident and Anthony Buff, 25-year-old ...
SPARTA, NJ – Sparta Police Chief Jeff McCarrick announced the department’s most recent achievement; the New Jersey State Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Accreditation. Voluntarily, the department underwent significant scrutiny for more than a year, during which time “every aspect of the ...
SPARTA, NJ – No one was injured on Saturday when a large truck overturned at the intersection of Glen Road and Main Street. According to police the driver said they had a “mechanical failure,” but they have not yet confirmed that to be the cause of the accident.Sparta Fire Department Rescue 4 ...
SPARTA, NJ – The driver of a dump truck that rolled over on the Route 15 northbound off-ramp had to be airlifted to Morristown Hospital due to injuries sustained in the crash, police report. At 8:20 a.m. police arrived on the scene tat the Route 517 location find the dump truck overturned and the ...
NEWTON, NJ – Former Tenafly police officer Joseph Greico, 38 was sentenced to 11 years in state prison for having shot and killed his husband John Kelly 44 on July 26, 2023, according to Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office.Greico had been found guilty of aggravated manslaughter and will serve 85% of ...
SPARTA, NJ – If you have driven anytime in the past decade you have likely seen it; a driver, phone in hand, not paying attention to the road. At times, it may appear the driver is impaired, but they are just “on their phone.” Seeking to discourage that behavior, motorists may notice an increase in ...
SPARTA, NJ – Motorists who regularly travel on Route 94 will find detours beginning Monday, April 7, lasting for five days. According to Sparta Police, Route 94 North will be closed from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for a milling and paving project. Traffic on Route 94 north will be detoured to Route 15 ...
SPARTA, NJ – A Sparta man tried to hide his identity from police when being questioned on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. On March 25 Sparta dispatch received a call about a white Honda SUV “bouncing off curbs while driving” and then pulling into the Liquor Factory, according to ...
SPARTA, NJ- Arrests have been made in two of the home burglaries on Morgan Drive and Skyview Drive, according to Sparta Police Captain Thomas Snyder.Jerry Montgomery, Jr. 44 of Hackensack and Zachary Anderson, 33 of Englewood were arrested on March 18 “following an extensive investigation” by the ...
SPARTA, NJ – Glen Road is closed between Waters Edge and Linden Drive because of a tree down across the road, according to Sparta Police. At approximately 8:30 p.m. police said they were waiting for Sussex County and JCP&L personnel to arrive to take care of the tree and power.
SPARTA, NJ – Three more men from Sparta-based investment firm Prior2IPO were arrested on Thursday, February 13, following an indictment on various fraud charges. Sparta resident Joseph Passalaqua, 36, Robert “Bobby” Cassino, 62 of Long Beach, New York and Joseph Rivera, 45 of Elmont New York were ...
SPARTA, NJ – Sparta Police officials report West Mountain Road is now open and the traffic lights are functioning once again except for the Route 15 and Houses Corner Road intersection. Route 94 is still closed and trucks are being diverted down White Lake Road.JCP&L reports 1686 customers or ...
SPARTA, NJ – Sparta Police Chief Jeff McCarrick said he was “not really surprised” that the number one cause of accidents in Sparta was “following too closely” when discussing the second phase of the department’s traffic study.McCarrick said the studies were done “to show what’s going on in our ...