Here are New Jersey’s top stories for Monday, October 21, 2024.

FRANKLIN LAKES — A former powerful Bergen County law enforcement official has been arrested on disturbing charges.

Steven Bozhekian retired as chief of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office in 2004 after serving with the department for more than 26 years, according to his LinkedIn profile. Bozhekian, 69, was arrested in Paramus on Thursday, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office said.

Prosecutors said a search of Bozhekian’s Franklin Lakes home revealed he had been downloading child pornography over the Internet.

Bozhekian was taken to the Morris County Jail. He was released Friday evening, according to jail records.

NEWARK — Two young girls died overnight in a terrible fire in this city’s South Ward, officials said.

The Essex County District Attorney’s Office is investigating the fatal fire that killed two victims, Chief Assistant District Attorney Thomas Fennelly said.

“Two little girls died in the fire,” ECPO spokeswoman Carmen Martin said.

The victims were six and eight years old, officials said. Their bodies were “severely burned” and they were pronounced dead at the scene. Prosecutors said there was a birthday party for one of the girls on the second floor of the house.

Witnesses told detectives the girls were playing with fire near a couch in the hallway. Investigators determined that the fire started on the second floor and spread to the third floor.

Distracted driving has claimed more than 3,300 lives on the road in just one year.

In the wake of New Jersey’s poor ratings in a new study on distracted driving and in honor of National Teen Driver Safety Week, a new initiative has been launched to help ensure we don’t grow up a generation glued to their phones. while driving.

A new initiative from GHSA and State Farm aims to serve as a one-stop shop for parents looking to teach children and teens how to stay distracted not only while driving, but also while walking, biking or scootering. road.

A 2024 study by a personal injury law firm ranked New Jersey as the fifth-worst state for distracted driving. The study points to 183 distracted driving-related deaths in 2022, or more than a quarter of all fatalities in the state.

According to AAA Northeast, most deer-related accidents occur near sunset, between October and December, because this time of year coincides with the rutting or mating season of deer, when deer are on the move and more aggressive than usual.

According to AAA, Monmouth County drivers encounter the most deer. In 2022, there were 310 accidents involving deer and cars here. In 2022, Hunterdon County had the second highest number of vehicle-deer crashes with 277. Burlington County ranked third with 272 vehicle-deer crashes, followed by Somerset County with 227 deer crashes and Bergen County. with 222 accidents.

Please use caution when driving through Readington, Hunterdon County. It is the top city in New Jersey for deer-vehicle collisions. In 2022 there were 83.

Mount Laurel ranks second with 58 vehicle and deer crashes. Two years ago, Marlboro had 56 deer accidents, followed by Hopewell Township in Mercer County with 50, Egg Harbor with 45, Galloway with 43, Manalapan with 41, Raritan with 40, Tinton Falls with 39 and Branchburg/South Brunswick. – 38 and Bridgewater. with 37 deer-vehicle collisions.

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