Belford woman flown to hospitalization after car rams tree in Middletown

A Belford woman's injuries are described as serious, but non-life-threatening, after her car slammed a tree in Middletown early today.

Sarah Abdelmonem-Samir, 19, was flown by New Jersey State Police NorthStar to Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center in New Brunswick after the crash that occurred at about 7:09 AM, police said.

According to authorities, her Honda veered off the eastbound side of Route 36 near Vineyard Avenue at about 7:09 AM. They did not elaborate or speculate on factors contributing to the crash, or on the nature of her injuries.

The crash is still under investigaiton. Witnesses, and those with information that can help detectives, should call Corporal Andrew Micalizzi, 732-615-2049.

Middletown First Aid and Rescue Squad staffers and firefighters of the East Keansburg, Community, and Port Monmouth companies also responded.

Predawn crash in Stafford injures township teen

A Manahawkin 17-year-old is recovering from head and face lacerations, sustained when his SUV collided with a utility pole after midnight in Stafford.

Police said that the 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer left the westbound side of Route 72 and hit the pole near milepost 22.6. The teen was hospitalized at Southern Ocean Medical Center in the township. The crash forced a temporary shutdown of the highway in the vicinity.

Further investigation prompted police to ticket the teen for displaying no decal reflecting a probationary driver's license, for driving outside the time frame permitted under probationary license terms, careless driving, and failure to maintain a lane of travel.

Four pounds of weed

A Monmouth man is jailed, and another is outside waiting for a court date, after allegedly carrying four pounds of marijuana in a car that was stopped in Monmouth's Ocean Township.

Police said that the car driven by Benjamin Santamaria, 28, of Red Bank, was flagged to the side of the Cindy Lane, late in the afternoon of June 15. Officer Christopher Stenger determined that Santamaria's license was under suspension.

In the car was Hugo Soriano-Castillo, 25, of Long Branch, and the bag containing the marijuana, police said.

Both were charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. Santamaria was transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold. Soriano-Castillo was released to await a hearing.

Ocean Township prostitution probe broadens

The relentless prostitution crackdown in Monmouth's Ocean Township continues with the arrests of three women in the past four days.

Angela Jordan, 34, of Freehold, was charged with engaging in prostitution and hindering apprehension on June 26, at the Super 8 Motel. The following day, Khadijah Womack, 22, of North Carolina, was intercepted on Sunset Avenue, by detectives following up an online probe. On June 29, Cynthia Gonzalez, 48, of Asbury Park, was arrested at the Super 8 on counts of engaging in prostitution and possession of hypodermic syringes.

All three were released on summonses to await court appearances.

Charges are accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless, and until, found guilty in a court of law.