Latest news with #LaPlaca
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Husband of NJ mayor charged with DUI while toddler was in her car wants public to ‘leave her alone' since she's not a ‘big city' mayor
The husband of New Jersey Mayor Gina LaPlaca, who was charged with driving drunk while her toddler in the car last month, said the public should go easy on her because she is not the 'mayor of some big city.' 'It's not like she's the mayor of some big city. Lumberton has only 13,000 people,' LaPlaca's husband Jason Carty told The Philadelphia Inquirer Friday. 'All I want is for my wife to get better and for everyone to leave her alone.' The 45-year-old Democrat was allegedly captured on video by another driver swerving all over the road and nearly crashing into a utility pole after she picked up her 2-year-old son from daycare on St. Patrick's Day. Police arrived at LaPlaca's house and found her toddler strapped in a car seat in the rear passenger seat. The officers then make her perform field sobriety tests, where she can be seen stumbling again when asked to stand on one leg. While investigating her car, officers allegedly found a water bottle filled with alcohol and a small liquor bottle. LaPlaca was then arrested and charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, and endangering the welfare of a child. She was released with a summons to appear in court on April 28. Carty, a former fire chief for Westhampton, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that his wife is 'in an inpatient facility and on a path to recovery.' Last week, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy urged LaPlaca to 'put her public duties aside.' However, LaPlaca, who was elected mayor of Lumberton in 2022 by a five-person committee and won reelection in 2023 and 2024, confirmed in an email late last month that she would not resign from her mayoral position. 'I will not be resigning my position. Our community needs to be more kind and understanding about people trying to better themselves. As we all know, there is a huge black eye and black cloud over our town right now,' the email obtained by Fox 29 read. Outraged residents of Lumberton Township packed a committee board meeting following her arrest and email saying she would not resign to rally against the 45-year-old Democrat mayor. LaPlaca's fellow committee member, Terrance Benson, sided with the residents and called for her resignation. 'My personal opinion is for the mayor to step down and to heal herself,' Benson said. Her arrest came just a week after she resigned as business administrator in Neptune Township, according to the Asbury Park Press. LaPlaca's resignation came after a video posted online showed her being escorted out of the Mount Holly Fire Commissioners meeting by police on March 5. In the 14-second video, LaPlaca was heard calling another woman a 'skank bi–h' while police removed her from the room. 'You have no idea what I've been through, you f–king skank bi–h,' she's heard yelling. The heated exchange was ignited when the public criticized her husband's appointment as captain of the Ewing Township Fire Department in Mercer County, the Asbury Park Press reported. Carty released a statement after the video was posted that he 'personally asked Gina to leave the meeting due to the harassment she was being subjected to by the unruly crowd.' 'Of course only a short clip was posted that shows her clapping back at them but the truth is she was harassed for over an hour. A few individuals made disgusting and misogynistic remarks to her and they should be ashamed of themselves,' he said. LaPlaca had been the business administrator in Neptune Township since January 2022.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Husband of N.J. Mayor Charged with DUI While Their Toddler Was in Car Pleads for Public to ‘Leave Her Alone'
Gina LaPlaca, 45, was arrested and charged with a DUI and other related offenses on March 17 LaPlaca was also charged with child neglect and endangerment after allegedly having a near-fatal crash while driving drunk with her 2-year-old son in the car The mayor of Lumberton Township's husband, Jason Carty, is urging "everyone to leave her alone" amid her "path to recovery" from addiction The husband of a New Jersey town mayor who admitted to driving under the influence is defending her amid backlash that her 2-year-old son was endangered when she had a near-fatal crash while he was in the car. Gina LaPlaca, 45, the mayor of Lumberton Township was arrested and charged with several offenses, including a DUI, reckless driving, child neglect and endangerment, driving under the influence, and driving with an expired license, PEOPLE previously reported. Her admission to police on March 17 that she had been drinking 'a little bit of vodka' has garnered widespread anger. Body cam footage released by the Lumberton Police Department also showed LaPlaca appearing to stagger and slur her speech while being arrested in her driveway after she admitted to drinking before picking up her son from daycare, per PennLive, and local stations ABC6 and NBC 10. 'It's not like she's the mayor of some big city,' LaPlaca's husband Jason Carty told The Philadelphia Inquirer. 'Lumberton has only 13,000 people. All I want is for my wife to get better and for everyone to leave her alone.' He added to the outlet that his wife is currently 'in an inpatient facility and on a path to recovery.' This is not the first time that Carty has spoken about his wife's addiction following her arrest, as he shared an update on her situation on March 18. 'Millions of Americans struggle with addiction and never get help. Gina LaPlaca is someone who has struggled, and is now getting the help she needs,' Carty wrote on Facebook. 'I ask that everyone keep her in their thoughts as she moves forward on her road to recovery." 'Please ignore the exaggerated political hyperbole and keep in mind her passion for helping others,' he added. 'This should not erase all the things she has accomplished for our community.' Police arrived at LaPlaca's home on March 17 after a witness saw a 2019 BMW driving 'erratically' and 'nearly hitting a utility pole' while a child sat in the rear car seat, PEOPLE previously reported. She was made to perform field sobriety tests and a plastic water bottle that an officer said reeked of alcohol was found in the car as police investigated. Police also found a small bottle of what appeared to be alcohol. LaPlaca is due to appear in court on April 28 to face charges related to the incident. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. She responded to requests for her to resign as mayor in an email saying, 'I will not be resigning my position,' according to Fox 29. 'Our community needs to be more kind and understanding about people trying to better themselves. As we all know, there is a huge black eye and black cloud over our town right now." She was elected to the Lumberton Township Committee in 2020 and reelected in 2023 while also holding a job as Neptune Township business administrator since January 2022. Her arrest last month came a week after she resigned from the latter role, local outlet Asbury Park Press reported. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Husband of Dem mayor arrested for DUI while driving toddler son hits back at critics
The husband of Lumberton Township, New Jersey, Mayor Gina LaPlaca, who was arrested on St. Patrick's Day for allegedly driving drunk with the couple's toddler, says his wife should be left alone because she's not the mayor of a large city. "It's not like she's the mayor of some big city," said Jason Carty, LaPlaca's husband, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Lumberton has only 13,000 people," he reportedly said. "All I want is for my wife to get better and for everyone to leave her alone." Despite intense backlash, the mayor has not resigned, even as she reportedly receives inpatient treatment to recover from her addiction. Watch: Democratic Lawmaker Arrested For Dui After Failing Roadside Sobriety Test As Wife Slept In Backseat New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called for LaPlaca to resign last week, according to Read On The Fox News App "I wish her a speedy journey to a better place for her and her family," he reportedly said. "I think, based on what I've seen, I think it would be wise for her to put aside her public duties until she gets to that better place." On March 17, LaPlaca, 45, was arrested outside her home after a witness took a video that allegedly showed her driving erratically and called the police. When police confronted the mayor, she was removing her toddler son from the back seat of her blue BMW. At the scene, she allegedly slurred her words and first told police she hadn't had anything to drink before admitting to drinking moments later. Rhode Island Democrat Lawmaker Arrested For Dui Ordered To Install Car Breathalyzer Bodycam footage shows the side of LaPlaca's car had been scratched, and the passenger side-view mirror nearly destroyed. When an officer asked what she hit, LaPlaca said she did not know. "You don't have any recollection of hitting anything?" another officer asked. "No, I don't," she replied. Police said they recovered an open water bottle filled with liquor from inside the vehicle. Democratic Official Drunkenly Slurs, Flaunts Government Position During Dui Arrest: Video In a holding cell, she reportedly asked a Lumberton Township police officer to call the chief of police on her behalf. She was later taken to the hospital. She was charged with endangering/abuse/neglect of a child, driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, careless driving likely to endanger, driving with an expired license and having an open container of alcohol in her vehicle. LaPlaca is due back in court on April article source: Husband of Dem mayor arrested for DUI while driving toddler son hits back at critics
Fox News
07-04-2025
- Fox News
Husband of Dem mayor arrested for DUI while driving toddler son hits back at critics
The husband of Lumberton Township, New Jersey, Mayor Gina LaPlaca, who was arrested on St. Patrick's Day for allegedly driving drunk with the couple's toddler, says his wife should be left alone because she's not the mayor of a large city. "It's not like she's the mayor of some big city," said Jason Carty, LaPlaca's husband, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Lumberton has only 13,000 people," he reportedly said. "All I want is for my wife to get better and for everyone to leave her alone." Despite intense backlash, the mayor has not resigned, even as she reportedly receives inpatient treatment to recover from her addiction. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called for LaPlaca to resign last week, according to "I wish her a speedy journey to a better place for her and her family," he reportedly said. "I think, based on what I've seen, I think it would be wise for her to put aside her public duties until she gets to that better place." On March 17, LaPlaca, 45, was arrested outside her home after a witness took a video that allegedly showed her driving erratically and called the police. When police confronted the mayor, she was removing her toddler son from the back seat of her blue BMW. At the scene, she allegedly slurred her words and first told police she hadn't had anything to drink before admitting to drinking moments later. Bodycam footage shows the side of LaPlaca's car had been scratched, and the passenger side-view mirror nearly destroyed. When an officer asked what she hit, LaPlaca said she did not know. "You don't have any recollection of hitting anything?" another officer asked. "No, I don't," she replied. Police said they recovered an open water bottle filled with liquor from inside the vehicle. In a holding cell, she reportedly asked a Lumberton Township police officer to call the chief of police on her behalf. She was later taken to the hospital. She was charged with endangering/abuse/neglect of a child, driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, careless driving likely to endanger, driving with an expired license and having an open container of alcohol in her vehicle. LaPlaca is due back in court on April 28.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lumberton mayor censured by committee after arrest for DUI as residents push for resignation
The Brief In Burlington County, a push is on for the mayor of Lumberton to step down after she was arrested for DUI. Gina LaPlaca is facing multiple charges for allegedly driving drunk with a young child in her car. Body cam video shows the moments the 45-year-old elected official was approached by police, given a field sobriety test and then arrested. LUMBERTON, N.J. - A few dozen people turned out Thursday night at a community meeting to voice their concerns about Mayor LaPlaca and her future. Things in the meeting got a little heated but one person was missing – Mayor LaPlaca. What they're saying "I'm embarrassed right now, I really am," Lumberton resident Michael McCann stated. "I'm embarrassed to say that I live in Lumberton and that this is allowed to go on." Over and over again, residents came up to demand Mayor Gina LaPlaca resign. "Enough is enough. I'm telling you right now. This is not acceptable," Amy Callahan said. They gave the township committee an earful about why they say the mayor can no longer serve the town. A female resident said, "So, I'm not concerned about what happened. I am angry." The backstory Mayor LaPlaca was charged with DUI and endangering the welfare of a child after she was arrested on St. Patrick's Day. Body cam video shows LaPlaca's arrest in front of her home with her 2-year-old son in the backseat. Sources tell FOX 29 LaPlaca's blood alcohol content was nearly four times the legal limit. So high that police thought she needed to go to the hospital. Dig deeper "Censure her and vote no confidence," Callahan said. "You have it right now. Go do it, show our town you were looking out for our best interest." Residents demanded the committee take action immediately and one man, Jim Logan, behind a recall petition asked each committee person how they would vote. He asked, "Committeeman Benson, would you sign a recall petition of Mayor Gina LaPlaca?" Benson replied, "Yes." Logan continued, "Lori Faye, Deputy Mayor, would you sign a recall petition of Gina LaPlaca?""Yes," was the answer. Each person answered yes. And, without hesitation, three said they'd ask her to resign immediately. Committeeperson Terrance Benson saying, "She should take the time that she needs but, yes, she does need to resign and step down. We need to move the town forward and it's not helping the town of Lumberton to move forward." What's next The committee came back after an executive session and decided to censure the mayor and pass three ethics violations against her. Logan says they will give the mayor a week to do the right thing and resign. After that, he will officially file the letter of intent to recall the mayor with the solicitor to get the ball rolling.
