Drizzt
Member
The Associated Press State & Local Wire
May 30, 2003, Friday, BC cycle
4:35 PM Eastern Time
SECTION: State and Regional
LENGTH: 631 words
HEADLINE: Motorist killed, police officer wounded in Warren County shootout
BYLINE: By STEVE STRUNSKY, Associated Press Writer
DATELINE: FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, N.J.
BODY:
A heavily armed motorist wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire during a traffic stop early Friday, critically wounding a Washington Township police officer with three shots to the face, neck and arm.
Two New Jersey state troopers were assisting the officer, and at least one of them returned fire, killing the motorist. A second man in the vehicle was taken into custody.
The wounded officer, Patrolman John Schramm, 41, was airlifted to St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network in Bethlehem, Pa., where he underwent surgery and was listed in critical condition Friday afternoon, said state police Acting Superintendent Joseph "Rick" Fuentes. Schramm is a 16-year police veteran and father of five.
The shooting occurred at about 3:10 a.m. along a rural highway in Warren County, about 10 miles northeast of Phillipsburg. A .45-caliber handgun, an assault rifle and numerous rounds of ammunition were recovered at the scene, Fuentes said.
Fuentes said police pulled over a 1993 Honda on Mountainview Road after receiving several reports of gunshots being fired from a moving vehicle.
Troopers Mark Moyna, 40, and Rich Wambold, 38, made the traffic stop as Schramm arrived in his police cruiser.
Fuentes said as the three approached, they spotted an assault rifle in the back of the car and ordered the driver out.
He resisted, and a struggle ensued involving Moyna, Schramm and the driver. The driver pulled the handgun from under the bulletproof vest he was wearing and fired several rounds, striking Schramm three times, Fuentes said.
At least one of the troopers returned fire, killing the driver. Police did not immediately release his name, but a law enforcement source, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified him as Justin McCarthy, 22, of Lebanon. The Warren County Medical Examiner was scheduled to perform an autopsy later on Friday.
The passenger, Damon S. Mammaro, 23, of Franklin Township, did not resist. He was in police custody but was not immediately charged.
Gov. James E. McGreevey met with the wounded officer Friday afternoon and urged New Jerseyans to pray for his recovery.
"The governor saw the police officer and he said the officer is in remarkably good shape," spokesman Micah Rasmussen said.
During an afternoon news conference at Washington State Police Barracks in Port Murray, Fuentes said authorities do not know why the driver was armed or wearing bullet protection. He described the driver and passenger as friends and said they had apparently been taking potshots at road signs and an unoccupied building.
Moyna, a 16-year state police veteran, and Wambold, a 10-year veteran, have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the Attorney General's Shooting Response Team. Such investigations are routine whenever a police-involved fatal shooting occurs.
Washington Township Police Chief James McDonald said Schramm had never before been involved in a shooting.
John Hagerty, spokesman for the state Division of Criminal Justice, said a camera mounted in the state police vehicle videotaped the incident.
The stretch of Mountainview Road where the shooting occurred is on a wooded hillside that slopes toward freshly plowed fields, red barns and a ridge that separates Warren from Hunterdon County.
Brenda Karahalios, 45, who lives about 200 yards from where the shooting scene, said she was awakened by the sounds of a helicopter overhead.
Her husband, Vasilios Karahalios, 40, said he'd gone out to the porch to smoke a cigarette when he heard talking followed by three gunshots in rapid succession.
"I jumped when I heard those gunshots," he said. "I thought somebody was popping deer and I said, 'I'd better get out of here."' He ran inside and locked the door.
May 30, 2003, Friday, BC cycle
4:35 PM Eastern Time
SECTION: State and Regional
LENGTH: 631 words
HEADLINE: Motorist killed, police officer wounded in Warren County shootout
BYLINE: By STEVE STRUNSKY, Associated Press Writer
DATELINE: FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, N.J.
BODY:
A heavily armed motorist wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire during a traffic stop early Friday, critically wounding a Washington Township police officer with three shots to the face, neck and arm.
Two New Jersey state troopers were assisting the officer, and at least one of them returned fire, killing the motorist. A second man in the vehicle was taken into custody.
The wounded officer, Patrolman John Schramm, 41, was airlifted to St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network in Bethlehem, Pa., where he underwent surgery and was listed in critical condition Friday afternoon, said state police Acting Superintendent Joseph "Rick" Fuentes. Schramm is a 16-year police veteran and father of five.
The shooting occurred at about 3:10 a.m. along a rural highway in Warren County, about 10 miles northeast of Phillipsburg. A .45-caliber handgun, an assault rifle and numerous rounds of ammunition were recovered at the scene, Fuentes said.
Fuentes said police pulled over a 1993 Honda on Mountainview Road after receiving several reports of gunshots being fired from a moving vehicle.
Troopers Mark Moyna, 40, and Rich Wambold, 38, made the traffic stop as Schramm arrived in his police cruiser.
Fuentes said as the three approached, they spotted an assault rifle in the back of the car and ordered the driver out.
He resisted, and a struggle ensued involving Moyna, Schramm and the driver. The driver pulled the handgun from under the bulletproof vest he was wearing and fired several rounds, striking Schramm three times, Fuentes said.
At least one of the troopers returned fire, killing the driver. Police did not immediately release his name, but a law enforcement source, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified him as Justin McCarthy, 22, of Lebanon. The Warren County Medical Examiner was scheduled to perform an autopsy later on Friday.
The passenger, Damon S. Mammaro, 23, of Franklin Township, did not resist. He was in police custody but was not immediately charged.
Gov. James E. McGreevey met with the wounded officer Friday afternoon and urged New Jerseyans to pray for his recovery.
"The governor saw the police officer and he said the officer is in remarkably good shape," spokesman Micah Rasmussen said.
During an afternoon news conference at Washington State Police Barracks in Port Murray, Fuentes said authorities do not know why the driver was armed or wearing bullet protection. He described the driver and passenger as friends and said they had apparently been taking potshots at road signs and an unoccupied building.
Moyna, a 16-year state police veteran, and Wambold, a 10-year veteran, have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the Attorney General's Shooting Response Team. Such investigations are routine whenever a police-involved fatal shooting occurs.
Washington Township Police Chief James McDonald said Schramm had never before been involved in a shooting.
John Hagerty, spokesman for the state Division of Criminal Justice, said a camera mounted in the state police vehicle videotaped the incident.
The stretch of Mountainview Road where the shooting occurred is on a wooded hillside that slopes toward freshly plowed fields, red barns and a ridge that separates Warren from Hunterdon County.
Brenda Karahalios, 45, who lives about 200 yards from where the shooting scene, said she was awakened by the sounds of a helicopter overhead.
Her husband, Vasilios Karahalios, 40, said he'd gone out to the porch to smoke a cigarette when he heard talking followed by three gunshots in rapid succession.
"I jumped when I heard those gunshots," he said. "I thought somebody was popping deer and I said, 'I'd better get out of here."' He ran inside and locked the door.
