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Message |
    
Michael
Citizen
Username: Michael
Post Number: 830
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2006 - 6:27 pm: | 
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From today's News Record :
MAPLEWOOD, NJ - The rivalry between Mayor Fred R. Profeta Jr. and Township Committee David Huemer took an odd turn last month — straight into a historic piece of Maplewood.
Huemer was driving his car the morning of April 18, the day of the school election, through Maplewood. Around 9 a.m., he hit a wrought iron gate at the foot of Hickory Drive and Ridgewood Road.
Complete article :
Maplewood political rivals battle after damage to historic gate
What's up with this ?!! |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11408
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2006 - 7:07 pm: |
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I think it is funny to be honest. David should own up and pay or report it to his insurance company. We used to live a couple of blocks from where the gate is located and I believe it was badly damaged a few years ago by a truck (?). I also think Fred is maybe milking the incident for more than it is worth.
Nest we will see David being led into the police station and being charged for leaving the scene of an accident. 
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mplwdian
Citizen
Username: Mplwdian
Post Number: 132
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2006 - 7:43 pm: |
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Correct me if I am wrong, but I think that legally what Huemer did is a crime. If you damage property in an accident and don't immediately report it that is a criminal offense. Legal issues alone, ethically what he did speaks volumes about his character.
I am wondering what caused the accident? Was he driving to fast? Or is there more to the story?
Not to mention the Freudian aspect of this whole thing. Nobody could have come up with this. |
Factvsfiction
Citizen
Username: Factvsfiction
Post Number: 279
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2006 - 7:47 pm: |
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Are you people going to have a civil war like the Iraqis about this? |
Foj
Citizen
Username: Foger
Post Number: 1266
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2006 - 10:09 pm: |
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Isnt there is a dollar amount that the damage must exceed? |
ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 5065
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 10:07 am: |
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It was reported in the News Record to be over $1,000...
Isn't this a car insurance claim? Seems to me that there's a motor vehicle regulation about causing damage and not reporting it within so many hours. Take Patrick Kennedy's car accident, he didn't ask for any special consideration and said he will cooperate fully with the police investigation. I sure David will do same...
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themp
Supporter
Username: Themp
Post Number: 2853
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 10:17 am: |
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No reporting it to whom?
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Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 14078
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 10:27 am: |
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I think they're both being babies about this.
Talk about small town quibbles!
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Nohero
Supporter
Username: Nohero
Post Number: 5363
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 10:44 am: |
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All kidding aside, has anyone actually read the article at the link given above (or, even the old-fashioned way, in the paper version of the paper)?
Quote:In an e-mail Huemer sent to Profeta on April 27, he wrote: “If there is damage that I caused, please send me an estimate or the contact information of whomever has maintained it in the past, and I will arrange to have it fixed or pay the bill if you would rather arrange it.”
Seriously, why was this even in the paper? |
Darryl Strawberry
Supporter
Username: Strawberry
Post Number: 7159
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 10:46 am: |
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"Seriously, why was this even in the paper?"
Are you kidding? An elected leader crashed a car...That in and of itself makes it news worthy |
Nohero
Supporter
Username: Nohero
Post Number: 5364
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 10:47 am: |
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Yes, but he's not a Kennedy relative, so who really cares?  |
mplwdian
Citizen
Username: Mplwdian
Post Number: 133
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 11:06 am: |
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FOJ- The relevant statute is NJSA 39:4-129. There is no dollar amount of damage that is required for the crime. But if the damage exceeds $250, the driver is presumed to know that he damaged the property. And even if the damage is less than this, the presumption applies if the driver knows that he was involved in an accident. The driver must notify the owner of the damaged property immediately. If he can't find the owner, he must report it to the police immediately. The crime is punished by a fine of not more than $400, or by imprisonment for not more than 90 days. In addition, the driver loses his license for 6 months.
This is in the paper because a member of the township committee crashed into the Mayor's gate in broad daylight and never reported it. I see it as a cry for help. |
themp
Supporter
Username: Themp
Post Number: 2856
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 12:17 pm: |
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There were witnesses, right? It isn't like he tried to deny it. |
mjh
Supporter
Username: Mjh
Post Number: 506
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 1:14 pm: |
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"I see it as a cry for help"
The funniest line of the week. Thanks for the day-brightener.
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Wendy
Supporter
Username: Wendy
Post Number: 2441
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 1:45 pm: |
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Since mplwdian is posting the same stuff here as in the Maplewood thread, I figure I'd repost what I said to him/her there:
Mplwdian,
1) it's clear you didn't read the part in the News Record where David Huemer said he looked at the gates and didn't see any damage. According to Lydia's above post, she didn't see it either at first.
2) it's clear you're not concerned about who got this story first and who shared whose email first.
3) Based on the News Record article David's email offered to pay for the damage. Fred's email in response sounds like a nonsequitur.
Since I haven't spoken to any of the parties but fully read the article and this thread, this is all I'm going on. Perhaps you'd like to explain why you think David did not uphold the law and was not acting honorable in this case? It seems like you certainly know more; at least you're doing a real good job in faking it. Strong biases can do that every time.
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dave23
Citizen
Username: Dave23
Post Number: 1735
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 2:21 pm: |
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Gee, I wonder how the NR heard about this? |
ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 5070
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 3:48 pm: |
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... I just saw what looked like to me like reporters from CCN over by the gates on Hickory.  |
crabby
Citizen
Username: Crabbyappleton
Post Number: 583
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 4:01 pm: |
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Yes, I saw them too, but I think it was Dr. Kay Scarpetta and her assistant. I stopped to chat and found out there is blue paint on the gate in several places as well as on the pillar which holds the gate. Rungs have been knocked off as evidenced by the "fresh" rust (bright orange rust as opposed to old brown rust seen on other parts of the gate). Let me just say, Scarpetta is one classy broad.
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Factvsfiction
Citizen
Username: Factvsfiction
Post Number: 344
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, May 7, 2006 - 3:45 pm: |
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Have to say if you are a public official in a town you have to comply with the law. Seems to me Huemer should have called the police, waited there at the site of the property damage, and then had the police decide it. In other words, was it a reportable accident under the law or not?
On the other hand, I could understand why he might be nervous or uncomfortable. bearing in mind where the accident occured, and left the scene.
But whether you like it or not, elected officials are held to a higher standard.
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