State Breifly
Gas prices drop again despite crude hike, inventory drop
TRENTON » Gas prices in New Jersey have continued to decrease despite crude oil price increases and a drop in gasoline inventories.
AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gas in New Jersey on Friday was $2.55, two cents lower than last week and substantially below the average $2.89 at this time last year.
The national average gas price Friday was $2.57 a gallon, unchanged from last week and also well below the average of $2.85 at this time last year.
Analysts say gasoline demand generally declines in early September as refineries undergo maintenance and prepare to switch to less-expensive winter-blend gasoline (summer-blend gasoline has a lower volatility to limit emissions during warm weather), but decreasing supplies along the East Coast may temporarily interrupt the seasonal price drop.
Police: Speed a factor in crash that killed 3, injured 1
PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA. » Police say speed is believed to have been a factor in a two-vehicle crash at a busy intersection near Philadelphia that killed three men and critically injured a fourth.
Plymouth Township police say a sport utility vehicle was traveling at high speed on a rainy night when the driver failed to negotiate a curve, crossed the median and smashed into a minivan shortly before midnight Thursday.
Police chief John Myrsiades said the crash was “impact at full speed.” He said it doesn’t appear “that any brakes were used or anything to slow down.”
Killed were 58-year-old Alexander Montanez of Philadelphia and two Vineland, New Jersey residents, 38-year-old Wilfredo Martinez and 30-year-old Justin Ruberti. A 37-year-old Vineland man was taken to a hospital and listed in critical condition.
2 men gunned down in Newark; woman critically wounded
NEWARK » Authorities in New Jersey say two men were killed and a woman was critically wounded in a shooting in Newark over the weekend.
The Essex County prosecutor’s office and Newark public safety officials say the two Newark men were sitting outside Saturday afternoon when an unknown person approached and fired.
Prosecutors say 30-yearold Jasson Duffy and 30-year-old Hassan Ward were killed.
The woman, whose name wasn’t released, was listed in critical but stable condition after apparently being hit by a stray bullet.
No arrests have been reported.
3 at trauma center, 19 treated, released after deck collapse
WILDWOOD, N.J. » Nearly two dozen people were taken to hospitals after a deck collapsed over the weekend at the New Jersey shore, but authorities said almost all of the victims were treated and released.
The multilevel deck collapsed at about 6 p.m. Saturday in Wildwood during the annual New Jersey Fireman’s Convention, which attracts thousands of current and former firefighters to the resort town.
Cape May Regional Health System spokeswoman Susan Staeger said Sunday that 19 of the 21 patients were treated and released, including three children. AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center’s trauma center reported receiving three patients, but spokeswoman Jennifer Tornetta said family members had asked that no information be released.
Wildwood’s fire chief said Sunday the second- and third-story front decks of the seven-unit condo building “suffered a complete pancake-type collapse.” Chief Daniel Speigel hailed the efforts of first-responders gathered in the area for the convention and parade who jumped into action to help free those trapped.
“Whoever they were, I wanted to throw a shout out to them for helping us get the victims removed,” Speigel said. “All victims were removed in under an hour and transported (to the hospital), which is pretty phenomenal.”
The cause of the collapse remains under investigation. City fire and construction crews are working with the building owners, engineers and contractors to secure a roof currently unsupported due to the collapse, the fire department said in a statement.