2 BROTHERS SHOT, THIRD IS CHARGED; Family Argument Erupts Into Gunfire

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Sunday, March 1, 1992

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | A03

A feud between brothers spilled onto a front lawn, where an Oakland man fired nine shots at his two brothers, striking each once in the back, police said. The victims were spared serious injury because the bullets were slowed by the doors of the Jeep in which they were attempting to escape.

Anthony Rucereto and his brother John drove themselves to Englewood Hospital immediately after they were shot, Police Chief Michael Affrunti said. A spokeswoman at Englewood Hospital said they were treated and released.

Vincent Rucereto was arrested without incident on numerous charges among them attempted murder after the shooting Friday night on the lawn of his mother’s home at 248 Lexington Ave., the chief added.

“They were trying to get away from him and that’s when he started shooting at them,” Affrunti said. “It’s an argument over money. I don’t have details yet because we haven’t had a chance to interview these people.”

The brothers 70-year-old mother with whom Anthony, 50, and John, 31, live injured her hands when she fell trying to separate her sons, the police chief said. The woman, whose name was not given, was also treated at Englewood Hospital.

The argument among the Ruceretos began somewhere outside of Dumont, then continued when they arrived at their mother’s house about 10:40 p.m. Friday.

When his brothers tried to drive away, Vincent, armed with a .22-caliber automatic handgun, fired nine shots into the vehicle, the police chief said.

“John Rucereto was struck in the back,” Affrunti said. “It penetrated the door of the car first so it didn’t go that deep into him. The other brother, Anthony, was also hit in the back but it didn’t penetrate him because that bullet also went through the car first.”

Two stray bullets also hit the house, the chief said.

Vincent Rucereto, 48, of Rutgers Drive, Oakland, was being held in Bergen County Jail on $90,000 bail. He was charged with two counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, Affrunti said.

2 ARRESTED IN USED-CAR DISPUTE

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Wednesday, January 15, 1992

The Record (New Jersey) | 5 Star | NEWS | Page B03

A mechanic and his son-in-law face charges following a yearlong dispute with a Teaneck man over a used car that disappeared and a check that bounced.

Theft charges have been filed against George Nicolaou of 26 E. Madison Ave., Dumont. Nicolaou was released Saturday on $2,500 bail from the Bergen County Jail, said a spokeswoman for the county Sheriff’s Department. His son-in-law, Anthony Mamalian, who faces fraud charges in the case, also is out on bail.

Dumont Police Detective Sgt. Robert Fischer said Nicolaou, 53, who owns G. N. Auto Electric in Dumont, sold a 1971 Mercedes-Benz to Carmello Bellia in December 1990. The car, for which Bellia paid $3,000, was supposed to have a rebuilt engine and transmission, Fischer said.

Bellia told police that after he got home, “he went to his own mechanic to check the car out,” Fischer said. “He found out that the car did not have a rebuilt engine or transmission. ”

Bellia returned it the next day and asked that it be repaired or that his money be refunded, Fischer said. About a month later, Bellia was given $1,000, but a $2,000 check written by Mamalian bounced, Fischer said.

Fischer said Bellia told police he tried three times but was unable to cash the check because of insufficient funds. A civil court awarded Bellia, 51, a $5,000 judgment in June, but he has not collected, Fischer said.

Then, Fischer said, Bellia noticed that the car, which had been sitting in the lot at G. N. Auto Electric during the dispute, was missing. Bellia signed complaints against Mamalian and Nicolaou. .

Mamalian was arrested Dec. 28 on a complaint of fraud for the bounced check, and Nicolaou on Jan. 11 on complaint of theft for the missing car, Fischer said. The men will appear in Dumont Municipal Court at a date to be determined, Fischer said.

RESCUERS SEARCH IN VAIN FOR PLANE CRASH VICTIMS

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Thursday, January 2, 1992

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A08

Calmer waters Wednesday permitted a boat search of Rhode Island Sound, but rescue crews came up empty-handed in their attempt to locate a commuter airplane that vanished last week with three crew members, including a Dumont man.

New Year’s Day was the first day that weather was good enough to allow a sonar-equipped boat to get to the area of the crash, about eight miles east of Block Island.

Rescuers had little hope of finding any of the three men alive.

Pilot John E. Murphy Jr., 28, of Dumont had been training pilots Michael Kane, 31, of Walden, N.Y., and Michael Lurie, 28, of Massapequa, N.Y., on the twin-engine turboprop aircraft when it disappeared Saturday.

A helicopter had patroled the area, but high seas had prevented a search by a boat owned by American Underwater Search and Survey Ltd. A lobster boat east of Block Island dredged up pieces of the aircraft Sunday, including a 30-foot section of the right wing, a fuselage section with seats, a door with stairs, and part of a bulkhead.

Another boat found a four-foot tail section on Monday about four miles south of Block Island.

TEACHER CHARGED WITH ASSAULT ON GIRL, 13; OTHER DUMONT STUDENTS MAY BE INVOLVED

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Sunday, April 7, 1991

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A03

A math and science teacher at the Selzer School for the past 21 years was charged Saturday with aggravated sexual assault on a 13-year-old student, officials said.
James J. Walls, 48, was arrested about 2 p.m. Saturday at his home at 88 Pine St., Haworth, said Bergen County Prosecutor John J. Fahy. Walls was to be held in the Bergen County Jail on $25,000 bail, he said.
It could not be determined Saturday what action school officials would take.
Between Dec. 15, 1989, and June 22, 1990, Walls committed “numerous acts of aggravated sexual assault” on the girl by touching her breasts and buttocks during school hours, Fahy said.
Fahy said the girl graduated from the kindergarten-to-eighth-grade school in June 1990, but that she told a school counselor about the assault only a few days ago. The counselor informed authorities, he said. The Dumont Police Department and the Bergen County Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit investigated the charge, he said.
Fahy said that when the case goes to a grand jury, Walls would be charged with aggravated sexual assault for each time he allegedly touched the girl.
“As of right now, the investigation is continuing,” Fahy said. “It’s possible other kids were involved. He’s only charged with sexual assault on the one girl. “
If convicted, Walls could face 20 years in prison and fines of up to $100,000, Fahy said.
Dumont Schools Superintendent Thomas Roberts and Selzer School Principal James Kennedy were not at home Saturday and could not be reached. No members of the school board could be reached Saturday.
Lee Brauer, director of public relations for the Dumont school district, said she was not aware of the charges against Walls or of his arrest. She said she did not have the telephone numbers of any school official with her at home.
Fahy said school officials, including the principal, were aware of the investigation, but did not know if they had heard about the arrest.
Dumont Mayor James Moriarty said he was hearing of the charges for the first time.
“This is a shock. I really don’t have a comment at this time,” he said.

Keywords: TEACHER; ASSAULT; YOUTH; SCHOOL; SEX; DUMONT; STUDENT

Notes: Bergen page version

ELECTRICAL EXPLOSIONS ROCK AREA IN DUMONT

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Wednesday, November 7, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B01

Two underground electrical explosions shook downtown Dumont Tuesday, injuring a 46-year-old borough woman, cutting off power to more than 1,000 residents, and shutting down several businesses for the day.

Public Service Electric and Gas Co. officials and technicians did not know the cause of the first explosion, which occurred shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday, said Walter Kyle, a PSE & G division operations supervisor. Kyle said he believed the second was caused by current released by the first.

“We know, essentially, that something blew up in the hole here,” Kyle said. “Exactly what, we don’t know. “

Except for the Madison Avenue business district, electricity was restored to much of the affected area about two hours after the explosion, Kyle said.

Amelia Garcia, who was standing behind the Frontier Restaurant and Bar at Park and Madison avenues when the second explosion occurred, was hit by flying debris. She was treated for cuts on both legs at Englewood Hospital and released.

Dumont Police Chief William Groesbeck said there was a similar explosion at the intersection of Madison and Washington avenues two months earlier.

Groesbeck said he urged PSE & G officials to work through the night to correct the problem. Madison Avenue was blocked off between Washington and Railroad avenues to allow the technicians to identify the problem and correct it, he said.

The explosion caused severe traffic delays along Washington Avenue and roads intersecting it.

Caption: (Photo ran alone in 3p) COLOR PHOTO – LINDA RADIN / THE RECORD – Utility workers inspecting the scene of one of two underground explosions that shook downtown Dumont Tuesday, leaving one woman injured and cutting off power to more than 1,000 residents. The blasts also caused traffic tie-ups.