Montgomery Township Police Blotter: DWI, Porch Pirates, Criminal Mischief, Overturned Car, and Altered Licence Plate

Montgomery, NJ. Two newly elected committee members, Vince Barragan and Mike Martin, were sworn into office by Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D16), followed by the re-selection of Neena Singh to serve as mayor (her third year to hold the office) and Vince Barragan as deputy mayor.

Each January, one resolution rises to the top of the list…Exercise. And it’s no surprise. Regular physical activity doesn’t just change our bodies, it improves nearly every aspect of our lives. From physical health to mental clarity, from confidence to resilience, fitness has a far-reaching impact.

Montgomery NJ Pilates instructor Caitlyn Kresky has a deep-rooted foundation in classical ballet and recently completed a professional career with several companies including Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Columbia Classical Ballet, and Roxey Ballet. For those with new year resolutions to improve their health, Kresky offers six tips for keeping in shape.

Doris (Brokaw) Weingart, 93, a tough farm girl from Rocky Hill, NJ, died peacefully on December 27, 2025 surrounded by her loving family.

Montgomery Township, NJ — Three newly-elected Montgomery/Rocky Hill School Board members were sworn-in at the reorganization meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 6. The board also selected Patrick Todd to serve as president (this will be his third year at the helm), and Maria Spina as vice president.

Doris DeLorenzo, 89, of Hillsborough, NJ, died peacefully at home with her loving family by her side on Thursday, January 1, 2026. She worked in the cafeteria and as a janitor for the Montgomery Township, NJ, school district.

The NJ Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NJSSAR) and Montgomery Deputy Mayor Vince Barragan held a memorial service for Gen. Richard Montgomery at Veterans Park on the 250th anniversary of his death, Dec. 31, complete with revolutionary war re-enactors, flags, and speeches.

Jim Waltman, executive director of The Watershed Institute, is working hard to bring American shad back to its ancestral rivers in New Jersey — and specifically to the Millstone River.  Jan. 3, 2026

Gary Bernard Mount died peacefully at his home, Terhune Orchards, Princeton, NJ on Monday, December 29 following a courageous battle with glioblastoma brain cancer. He was known for his generosity, his impact on the agricultural community and his deep love of family.

Montgomery Township, NJ – The township's historical society is offering a $100 reward for indisputable proof that the township is, in fact, named after Revolutionary War Gen. Richard Montgomery.

In a wooded area off Dead Tree Run on the former Terhune Farm in Montgomery Township is an old, squeaky but well-engineered, self-governing windmill, about some 40 feet in height, that is visible from the road.

Bruce Traub, 65, of Skillman, NJ, entered into eternal rest on November 29 after a brave but short battle with brain cancer.

Montgomery High School, NJ – The December 2025 athletes of the month are tennis player Tongxin “Coco” Xiao and runner Daniel Leopold. Each month, MHS Athletic Director Kris Grundy polls local coaches to select a female and male scholar athlete to spotlight on this page. Each athlete will receive a $25 Gift Certificate to The Tiger’s Tale.

Skillman has a new Turkish restaurant. Mira Mediterranean Grill, offering chicken kebabs, falafel (deep fried chickpeas), and gyro doner (a combo of ground beef and lamb sliced thin), opened recently in Skillman.

Montgomery Township, NJ, officials will honor several police officers as heroes on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 7:30 pm at town hall in Skillman. The officers risked their own lives in the line of duty this year by rescuing a woman from a smoke-filled burning home; saving a dog from an icy pond; rendering lifesaving aid to a stabbing victim and then safely apprehending and arresting the suspect — who was charged with attempted murder.

Donald W. Matthews — a pillar of civic engagement, contributing his time, talents, and wisdom across a remarkable spectrum of roles — retires after decades of dedicated volunteer service to Montgomery Township, NJ.

Montgomery Township, NJ -- Township officials will honor Maj. Gen. Richard Montgomery — for whom the township is named — on New Year's Eve Day at the municipal building at 2 pm. December 31 is the 250-year anniversary of his death.

Rocky Hill, NJ — Bradford “Brad” Merritt, 73, of Rocky Hill, NJ died peacefully on December 12, 2025. He had retired from the New Jersey State Police, and was a former Rocky Hill Borough Councilman.

Montgomery Police responded to a dispute at IGO Stem Academy in Belle Mead on Nov. 26 at 11:32 am and arrested a 23-year-old former employee.

Ricky Chai celebrated the grand opening of his new Asian Fusion restaurant on Monday, December 8 in the Princeton North Shopping Center in Skillman. It is about a mile down the road from his Ricky's Thai restaurant in the Village Walk at Montgomery. This will mark his second restaurant in Skillman. He also has successful restaurants in Hillsborough and Bernardsville.

According to a 2025 report on NJ.com, the Montgomery School District ranks 17th in the state for the highest school taxes. The average Montgomery taxpayer pays $11,749 each year to the public schools. This is 68.6% of a resident’s average annual property tax bill of $17,131. On the bright side, the overall average annual property tax of $17,131 is the lowest in the grouping of the 17 top districts.

Montgomery High School’s marching band closed out its 2025 season with a sweep of major awards, a series of standout performances, and a renewed sense of pride in a program that has quickly been rising to statewide prominence.

Montgomery Township, NJ -- A garage fire in Belle Mead closed Route 601 for three hours on Tuesday, (Dec. 9), from about 2 pm to 5 pm, creating rush-hour traffic jams throughout the township, especially on Route 206. A Montgomery Township fire marshal investigation indicates the flames originated from a wood stove left unattended in the detached garage of a single-family home. There were no injuries reported during the event.

Rocky Hill, NJ - Rocky Hill’s Pacific Southern (PS) Model Railroad Club presented the borough’s fire department and rescue squad with checks for $3,500. James Murray, the “Impractical Jokers” comedian James Murray, the “Impractical Jokers” comedian who bought the Washington Street house the railroad house, and PS Club President Jeff Bernardis presented the checks at last night's meeting. These donations were the largest ever raised by the club, thanks to their sold out tra

Move over Pooja Dhingra. Montgomery now has its own Indian French pastry chef. Montgomery Township resident Smita Arora was born in India, but trained at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan. She owns and operates Ooh La La Patisserie and Bake Shop — a home-based business offering French/Indian pastries, cookies, cakes, and desserts.

Two Montgomery High School students experienced the opportunity of a lifetime at the New Jersey Education Association Convention on November 6, when juniors Stella Cunha and Anuvaa Shah hosted a conversation on stage with Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai.

Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill unveiled a 35-member Local Government Advisory Group of elected officials from across New Jersey on Dec. 2, assembled to provide expertise and on-the-ground insight to her transition’s Action Teams. Montgomery Township Mayor Neena Singh is included as a member of the team.

Family was important to long-time Montgomery Township, NJ, resident Joan Martha Cosgrove Raymond, who died at age 93 on November 10.

First responders extinguished a fire along a Montgomery Township hiking path leading to Van Horne Park on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at about 10 pm. Police Lt. Jason Larson said the fire may have been caused by a discarded cigarette. The NJ Forest Fire Service is investigating.

Montgomery Township, NJ - Montgomery Township's newest police officer Oksana Kopyto is a certified Humane Law Enforcement Officer (HLEO), meaning she is trained and has experience investigating and enforcing animal cruelty and welfare laws. She is also known to rescue homeless kittens and cats. Kopyto was sworn-in as a probationary officer at the Montgomery Township Committee meeting on November 13.

Montgomery Township, NJ - Francis “Frank” Benjamin Homan, affectionately known as Yan, died peacefully at the age of 97. Frank was a resident of Montgomery Township since 1958.

Montgomery Township, NJ —Montgomery School Board member Christina Harris reported at the Tuesday, Nov. 18 board meeting that volunteerism — related to the parent-teacher organizations — is down across the school district. "It decreases with each passing year, and gets worse in the upper grades," Harris reported.

HILLSBOROUGH, N.J. – Dawan Jeter, 19, of Hillsborough surrendered without incident to Hillsborough Police at 6 pm tonight in relation to a shooting that occurred earlier today.

Chander Kanta Bahal (nee Chowdhary), cherished mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully on November 5, 2025, at Bayshore Assisted Living in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Her daughter lives in Skillman, NJ.

Montgomery Township, NJ — Joseph R. Klett, executive director of the NJ State Archives, will give a presentation titled "Colonial Land Records: When New Jersey was Split in Two" at the Somerset County Library's Montgomery Township branch on Thursday, November 20 at 6 pm. (Sponsored by Van Harlingen Historical Society and the Somerset County Library).

Montgomery Township, NJ - Edwin L. Podsiadlo, 95, U.S Navy Veteran, died peacefully on November 8, 2025 after 95 years of “clean living” as he would say! A long time resident of Montgomery Township, he raised six children with his predeceased, beloved wife Dorothy who taught elementary school at Burnt Hill Road School for decades. 

Montgomery Township, NJ — For local families whose SNAP benefits remain under threat, accessing food assistance through local food pantries has become imperative. Multiple Montgomery organizations, including scouts, police, teachers, local businesses (Kasia and Tiger's Tale), and the township's community center have all pitched in to ensure local families have sustenance during this difficult time.

Montgomery Township, NJ – Montgomery resident Karen Tuveson of the nonprofit Catalytic Arts Incubator created the Barn Quilt Trail of Central New Jersey, where, she says, art, history, and agriculture come together. Learn more about how six historic barns became the inaugural sites. On Dec. 3 at the Montgomery Library, meet the artists, farm owners, selection committee, partners, and volunteers who helped bring the project to life.

Caitlyn Kresky has a deep-rooted foundation in classical ballet and recently completed a professional career with several companies including Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Columbia Classical Ballet, and Roxey Ballet. Kresky spoke with The Montgomery News about her decision to open her own Pilates studio.

By Barbara A. Preston | Posted November 13, 2025 Chris Getz awoke to a disaster. His small home on Opossum Road and Thiemarx Terrace in Skillman was on fire at 4 am on Friday, November 7. His disabled mother, JoAnn, and his brother James were asleep in their rooms, as their two Beagles were pacing. “I heard a popping noise. I opened the front door and found our front porch was completely engulfed in flames. We had 30 seconds to get out of the house,” Chris recalls. “I was in

Rocky Hill, NJ - What happens when calamity strikes, leaving a person suddenly in debt with medical bills in excess of $100,000, and the person cannot work while trying to heal? For Sean Kucharski, who was struck by a bicyclist while fishing from the Millstone River Bridge sidewalk on October 6, it means his partner has to work two jobs to put food on the table for the household, which includes two teenagers — and still falls short of the cash needed. It means they cannot aff

Montgomery Township first responders pulled a non-ambulatory resident from a fully engulfed fire at a home on the corner of Opossum Road and Thiemarx Terrace in Skillman early this morning. Two people were transported to the local hospital for smoke inhalation.

Montgomery NJ - A quick review of the unofficial election results show most Somerset County towns elected Democratic candidates on November 4 — even the historically "Republican" towns. Montgomery and Rocky Hill caught that wave years ago, and, once again, voted blue from the top of the ticket down to township committee and borough council.

The Pacific Southern Model Railroad Club — with renewed energy thanks to new owner and member James Murray, known as “Murr” on TBS’ “Impractical Jokers” — will open its doors at 26 Washington Street in Rocky Hill on November 22 and 23.

Montgomery Township will celebrate and honor our Veterans on Sunday, November 9 starting with a procession that will commence at 1:45 pm at the intersection of Harlingen Road and Devon Drive and end at the Montgomery Veterans Park on Harlingen Road. The procession will be followed by a ceremony starting at 2 pm at the Veterans Memorial.

Montgomery Township, NJ - Eli Kahn, the principal of E. Kahn Development Corp, is inviting Skillman residents to a neighborhood meeting on Wednesday, November 12 at the Kenvue campus, 199 Grandview Road. The meeting is scheduled for 6 pm. Kahn said the purpose is to develop a constructive dialogue with the community regarding the future development of the 380-acre site.

Montgomery Township and Rocky Hill Borough voters decisively elected two new faces, and one former board appointee, to the local school board on November 4. Local voters also elected Democrats from the top of the ticket down to Township Committee and Borough Council, according to preliminary results from the Somerset County Clerk.

Montgomery Township, NJ — Shivani Popat of Montgomery transitioned from a job as a senior consultant with Deloitte Consulting, representing the Mumbai Metropolitan region, to opening her own business that allows her creativity to flow. Called Magical Skye, the business specializes in producing one-of-a-kind keepsakes, party favors, and hand-painted greeting cards.

In a district ranked among the top 1% of public schools in the nation, parents and students might expect stability, communication, and mutual respect between the Board of Education, parents, and the educators who make that excellence possible. Instead, Montgomery Township has become defined by tension and distrust, a conflict that threatens the very quality of education that earned it such distinction.