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Driver in New Jersey car rally crash that killed 2 receives prison sentence

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Driver in New Jersey car rally crash that killed 2 receives prison sentence
  • Gerald White, 38, of New Castle, Delaware, has been sentenced to 25 years in state prison for his involvement in separate crashes during a pop-up car rally in southern New Jersey.
  • White was fleeing another crash in Wildwood when he struck a car and two pedestrians with a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit.
  • He pleaded guilty to charges related to the September 2022 deaths of Timothy Ogden, 34, of Clayton, and pedestrian Lindsay Weakland, 18, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

A driver charged in separate crashes that killed two people during a pop-up car rally in southern New Jersey has been sentenced to 25 years in state prison.

Gerald White, 38, of New Castle, Delaware, pleaded guilty in December to aggravated manslaughter and aggravated assault charges in the September 2022 deaths of Timothy Ogden, 34, of Clayton, and pedestrian Lindsay Weakland, 18, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

The plea agreement called for a 25-year sentence, but White’s attorney sought a 15-year term during Thursday’s sentencing hearing. Superior Court Judge J. Christopher Gibson, however, cited White’s extensive criminal history in imposing the full term.

MORE ARRESTS MADE IN DEADLY NJ POP-UP CAR RALLY

White, earlier listed as living in Pittsburgh, was fleeing another crash in Wildwood when he struck a car and two pedestrians. Authorities said his blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit. Officials say he is subject to the No Early Release Act on all counts and will have to serve 85% of his sentence before he will be eligible for parole.

Gerald White’s blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit during the crashes. Officials say he is subject to the No Early Release Act on all counts and will have to serve 85% of his sentence before he will be eligible for parole.

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“I pray every day,” White said during sentencing. “I wasn’t out there trying to hurt people.”

Police across multiple communities struggled to control the chaotic situation. According to news reports, videos on social media showed modified vehicles revving engines and speeding off to cheers from crowds, and people hanging out of cars as drivers spun in circles, as well as burnouts, drifting and crashes.

JURY IN CASE OF NJ WIFE SLAYING WILL NOT BE TOLD OF HUSBAND’S PREVIOUS MURDER CONVICTION

Participants say such events give enthusiasts a chance to gather and check out cars, but officials in New Jersey reported writing hundreds of tickets and summonses. Storefronts were damaged, and traffic meters were downed. Other areas such as Ocean City, Maryland, have also reported problems during such events.

“The tragic deaths of Lindsay Weakland and Timothy Ogden are heartbreaking losses for their friends, loved ones and family that can never be overcome,” Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland said in a statement. He warned “anyone considering engaging in an illegal, unsanctioned car rally” that such behavior would not be tolerated.

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Vermont

Spaulding wrestling dethrones Mount Anthony, ends 36-year title reign

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Spaulding wrestling dethrones Mount Anthony, ends 36-year title reign


Editor’s note: For the full championship story and photos, visit HERE.

HINESBURG — For the first time since 1988, there is a new Vermont high school wrestling state champion.

Spaulding dethroned Mount Anthony, ending the Patriots’ 36-year reign with an impressive team performance at the state championship at Champlain Valley Union High School on Feb, 28, 2026.

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The Crimson Tide scored grapplers in 12 out of 14 weight classes and had seven of them competing in final matches.

Spaulding, which locked up the title before final matches commenced, finished with 236.5 points to MAU’s 195.

This is Spaulding’s first title since 1984. MAU’s unchallenged championship run was a national record for wrestling. It ranks sixth all-time for consecutive state titles among all high school sports in the country.

Check back later for an updated story and photo gallery at burlingtonfreepress.com.

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Team scores (final)

1. Spaulding 236; 2. Mount Anthony 195; 3. Middlebury 134.5; 4. Vergennes 123; 5. Otter Valley 121; 6. Colchester 96; 7. Essex 86; 8. Mount Abraham 85.5; 9. Harwood 67; 10. Springfield 54; 11. Fair Haven 52; 12. Mount Mansfield 44; 13. Burr and Burton 43; 14. North Country 38.5; 15. Mill River 38; 16. St. Johnsbury 37.5; 17. Champlain Valley 36; 18. Lyndon 33; 19. South Burlington 29; 20. Randolph 28; 21. Rutland 26; 22. U-32 12; 23. Lamoille 11; 24. Lake Region 6; T25. BFA-Fairfax, Rice 3.

106-pound final: Wesley Churchill (Spa) def. Fernando Oyola (MAU) for 14-3 win (major decision)

Winner: Churchill caps the evening of finals with with a state title as the No. 3 seed, beating the top-ranked grappler in this division. Churchill was fifth a year ago at 106.

Other place finishers: 3. Tolkein Lawlor (MMU); 4. Brady Babcock (OV); 5. Mason Douglass (U-32); 6. Sam Dyer (Rut).

113-pound final: Sylas Race (MAU) def. Lucas Colby (Spa) for 8-7 win

Winner: In the first match of the finals, Race builds a 7-0 lead before Colby storms back in the final period. But Race holds on for the 8-7 victory. The match was stopped three times for what appeared to be a bloody nose.

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Other place finishers: 3. Caleb Woodward (OV); 4. Addie Smith (Verg); 5. Colton Jones (MR); 6. Liem Moller (CVU).

120-pound final: Brayden Buchanan (Essex) def. Mason Sheltra (Col) for 16-1 win (tech fall)

Winner: The sophomore Buchanan polishes off his second straight title, securing a tech fall (margin of 15 or more points) in the final seconds of the match. Buchanan celebrates with a back flip. Sheltra was going for a third state title.

Other place finishers: 3. Miles Goetz (Midd); 4. Duncan Klinck (Har); 5. Vincent Deysenroth (MAU); 6. Darien Haselton (CVU).

126-pound final: Cahota LaFond (Col) def. Eion Comes (NC) for 17-0 win (tech fall)

Winner: LaFond completes a fourth straight state title with a tech fall in the final seconds of the first period. The senior, who surpassed 200 career wins last month, celebrates with a take down to the mat of his coach, Scott McPhearson.

Other place finishers: 3. Jackson Brown (MMU); 4. Adrien Provencher (Verg); 5. Grady Thurston (Spa); 6. Eric Whitten (Har).

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132-pound final: Stephen Kittredge (Verg) def. Anthony Szabo (FH) for 7-4 overtime win

Winner: In the early moments of a 1-minute overtime period, Kittredge uncorks impressive takedown for the three points and state title, his first after finishing runner-up at 126 in 2025.

Other place finishers: 3. Dylan Jacobs (Col); 4. Landon Wilcox (OV); 5. Nate Sackett (Har); 6. Cole Brown (Lyn).

138-pound final: Asa Reis (MAU) def. Karter Morey (Lyn) for 17-4 win (major decision)

Winner: Reis seizes his second title in three years, taking early lead and cruising to the major decision. A year ago, Reis was runner-up in this weight class.

Other place finishers: 3. Colby Belden (FH); 4. Mo Hussein (SB); 5. Camden Ayer (CVU); 6. Gavin Winnie (Spa).

144-pound final: Duncan Harrington (MAU) def. Michael Grasso (Spa) for 10-3 win

Winner: Harrington gets his third straight state crown. Harrington scored a pair of takedowns in the first period to take control.

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Other place finishers: 3. Jackson Scribner (Verg); 4. Anthony Abetti (BBA); 5. Carter Jones (Essex); 6. Wyatt Tarbell (MR).

150-pound final: Isayah Isham (MTA) pins Tyler Monick (MAU)

Winner: With 17 seconds left in the second period, Isham pins Monick for his state title. Isham, who took third a year ago, was up 10-1 prior to his pin.

Other place finishers: 3. James Marcellus (Spa); 4. Jackson Ladd (SJ); 5. Micah Perez (Rut); 6. Chase Tefts-Young (Col).

157-pound final: Nicky Service (Har) def. Mason Atkins (MTA) for 9-7 win

Winner: Service is the first Harwood wrestler to win a state title since Kyle Streeter in 2013.

Other place finishers: 3. Logan Slater (Spa); 4. Connor Decker (SJ); 5. Jason Sperry (Midd); 6. Jeremy Glodgett (NC).

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165-pound final: Noah Dunster (Spa) def. Blake Allen (OV) for 4-3 win

Winner: Dunster scored all of his points (escape, takedown) in the first period, hanging on to beat the top seed for his first state title.

Other place finishers: 3. Dimitri Jasinski (Spring); 4. Lincoln Painter (MTA); 5. Quinn Veth-McGovern (BBA); 6. Henry Dodge (SB).

175-pound final: Payton Lavoie (Verg) pins Caleb Hoar (Spa)

Winner: Lavoie earns his second straight crown with a first-period pin with 22 seconds left. Last year, Lavoie won the 190-pound class.

Other place finishers: 3. Ethan Patch (MR); 4. Parker Carl (Midd); 5. Jonathan Lake (Spring); 6. Max Potter (OV).

190-pound final: Maxwell LaPerle (Spa) def. Wyatt Kennett (Midd) for 20-2 win (tech fall)

Winner: After a scoreless first period, LaPerle led 5-1 through two periods before piling up two near falls and two takedowns for the tech fall victory.

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Other place finishers: 3. Zane Cooper (Rand); 4. Keegan Reid (OV); 5. Abraham Kreuger (Lam); 6. Jacob Jamieson (FH).

215-pound final: Tucker Wright (Midd) pins Charlie Berry (Spa) (5:49)

Winner: Wright separates with an eight-point second period and then secures second consecutive state title with a late third-period pin.

Other place finishers: 3. Drake Felkl (OV); 4. Ian Denue (MAU); 5. Rowan Danaher (Essex); 6. Dallas Sulton’El (Col).

285-pound final: Ryan Marsden (MAU) pins Steven Lackard (Midd) (4:37)

Winner: Marsden claims his third straight 285-pound championship with a third-period pin.

Other place finishers: 3. Joe Gershon (Essex); 4. Izaak Wolniewicz (Verg); 5. Tyler Scott (MMU); 6. Alex Poczobut (Spa).

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Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.





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Northeast

Fiery explosion destroys Massachusetts home, injures mother and 2-year-old child

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Fiery explosion destroys Massachusetts home, injures mother and 2-year-old child

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A powerful explosion tore through a Massachusetts home Wednesday morning, leaving a 25-year-old mother with severe burns and her 2-year-old child seriously injured as the house was engulfed in flames.

The explosion rocked a snow-covered street in Taunton, about 38 miles south of Boston, just days after the city was buried under more than two feet of snow. Residents several blocks away reported hearing a loud boom.

Emergency crews rushed to the three-family home around 9:50 a.m. and found the building fully ablaze.

“The situation is now under control, but this was a very serious incident,” Fire Chief Steven Lavigne said, noting the weather conditions presented challenges for firefighters.

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A home was engulfed in flames after an explosion on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Taunton, Mass. (William James Shivers Jr. via AP)

The mother and her toddler were rushed to a hospital. Mayor Shaunna O’Connell said it was not immediately clear whether they were inside the home at the time of the explosion.

Fire officials declared the home a total loss. Eight residents were displaced, and two neighboring houses were heavily damaged by the blast and subsequent fire.

Firefighters respond to a home engulfed in flames on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Taunton, Mass. (William James Shivers Jr. via AP)

William James Shivers Jr., who lives nearby, said he rushed toward the flames to help.

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FIVE INJURED, INCLUDING FIREFIGHTER, IN CHURCH EXPLOSION FOLLOWING REPORTED GAS LEAK IN UPSTATE NEW YORK

“Neighbors helping neighbors, as it should be,” he told The Associated Press. “Taunton police and fire are amazing and I’m blessed to be a part of this community.”

A warming center was opened for displaced residents as temperatures remained frigid.

Officials said the cause of the explosion was under investigation. (William James Shivers Jr. via AP)

State police fire investigators and the state fire marshal’s office are assisting local authorities in determining the cause of the explosion.

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Officials urged residents to avoid the area while emergency crews continue working at the scene.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Boston, MA

Red Sox reliever ‘fired up’ to join Team USA after dominant start to spring

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Red Sox reliever ‘fired up’ to join Team USA after dominant start to spring


FORT MYERS, Fla. — It’s hard to imagine Garrett Whitlock’s spring getting off to a better start. The Red Sox right-hander made it three straight scoreless outings through the first week of games Saturday by sending down the Minnesota Twins 1-2-3 in the third during the club’s eventual 13-8 win.

Now, Whitlock will get ready to join Team USA ahead of the World Baseball Classic.

“I’m stoked. I’ve been jittery the past two days, like, ‘Oh man it’s almost here,’” Whitlock said. “Now I’ve got to go home, do some laundry and do some packing.”



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