TUESDAY 03.03.15
POINT PLEASANT BEACH — For the second time in less than a week, a
natural-gas explo- sion disintegrated an Ocean County house, in
this case injuring the home’s tenant after it ex- ploded when he
turned on the bathroom light.
“It’s very strange, isn’t it?” said Rose Marie Posella, who
witnessed the latest blast from her backyard in the predawn hours
Monday, seeing flames shooting up into the trees at the house two
doors down from her.
“I was sound asleep, and I heard a boom. I thought it was an
earthquake,” Posella said. “After I heard the boom, I heard sirens
in the distance, and I thought it was something hap- pening in
town.”
Ocean County authorities said that what Po- sella heard — and
witnessed — was the coun-
SeeBLAST, Page A4
AGAIN? Point Pleasant Beach house destroyed
by area’s second gas explosion in a week; home’s tenant injured in
latest blast
Above: The remains of a one-story home leveled by a gas explosion
and resulting fire early Monday morning on Cooks Lane in Point
Pleasant Beach. TOM SPADER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
See a photo
explosion on your desktop
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DAN RADEL, STEPH SOLIS AND DAVID P. WILLIS @DANIELRADELAPP,
@STEPHMSOLIS, @DPWILLIS732
TOMS RIVER —The driver of a pickup truck that was allegedly doing
“doughnuts” on ice before falling into the Toms River should pay
for the search and rescue efforts as well as the cleanup of
Barnegat Bay, Free- holder Joseph Vicari said.
The State Police said the driver, Andrew Mayer, 27, and his
passenger, Daniel Jolly, 25, escaped the truck before it submerged
but didn’t immediately notify au- thorities. Toms River police had
received reports of the white pickup doing “doughnuts” on the icy
river before the truck’s lights disappeared about 12:15 a.m.
Sunday. The vehicle was not located until 10:20 a.m. about 10 feet
off Motor Road in Pine Beach.
Fan boats and helicopters hovered across the water as the Coast
Guard, State Police and local authorities searched the partially
frozen river for hours looking for the missing vehicle before the
pair turned them- selves in. That afternoon, divers discovered a
dead boxer dog still inside the submerged truck.
The State Police did not plan to charge Jolly, but the agency was
still investigating Mayer, State Police Sgt.
See TRUCK, Page A12
Freeholder: Make driver of sunken truck pay Pickup reportedly
doing ‘doughnuts’ on river ice
AMANDA OGLESBY @OGLESBYAPP
BOB BIELK/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Seaside Heights is amping up for an exciting season ahead.
Mumford & Sons are hosting a great big beach party this summer,
and they've invited some of the biggest names in music to join in
on the fun.
The Grammy-winning folk rockers are curating the Gentlemen of the
Road Stopovers, a touring festival that will make its first stop
June 5 and 6 in Seaside Heights.
Along with Mumford & Sons, bands on the bill are set to include
Oklahoma psychedelic rockers The Flaming
Lips, recent “Saturday Night Live” performers Ala- bama Shakes, and
California classic-rock revivalists Dawes.
Other acts announced Monday morning include the Vaccines, the
Maccabees, the Very Best, Jenny Lewis, Little May, JEFF The
Brotherhood, Blake Mills and more to be announced.
Tickets are set to go on sale 10 a.m. Friday through the Gentlemen
of the Road website. Two-day passes are $179, and limited beach
camping is available for $20 per person on a first-come,
first-served basis.
Mumford & Sons are going on tour with the Gentle- men of the
Road Stopovers in support of their upcoming third album, “Wilder
Mind,” set to be released May 4 on Glassnote Records.
According to a news release, each two-day festival is intended to
be an “event that combines the intimacy of a community celebration
with the excitement of a world-
Seaside Heights will host touring music festival in June ALEX BIESE
@ABIESEAPP
See MUSIC, Page A10
Change of scenery
Town hopes family-friendly fest will dim memories of “Jersey
Shore,” superstorm Sandy, boardwalk fire. Page A10
Marlboro shooting:
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TECH TUESDAY, A6