Multiple injuries, some critical, after the old and rotted balcony on the second story of one building collapsed at the Glacier Camp, a Presbyterian summer camp near Lakeside on the northwest shore of Flathead Lake in Kalispell, Montana

KALISPELL, Mont. - Lake County emergency services confirmed multiple people were injured after an old and rotted deck collapse at Glacier Camp. They say a group of people were attending a memorial service at Glacier Camp when the balcony on the second story of one building collapsed.

The camp is located on the west side of Flathead Lake between Lakeside and Rollins.


Somers Rural Fire Department confirmed 32 people were transported to area hospitals including Kalispell Regional Medical Center and hospitals in Ronan, Polson, Whitefish and Missoula.

Lake County Sheriff Don Bell says six people were airlifted via helicopter. Five people are in critical condition, but no reported fatalities.

Bell says he's grateful for the efforts made by the emergency crews.

"When I first got on scene I saw injured people," Bell said. "I saw the ambulance crews and firefighters triaging people and stabilizing them whether it was with ankle braces, wrapping someone's knee or controlling bleeding on someone's head. The emergency crews did a great job."

Somers fire confirmed one person was transported via Life Flight helicopter to Missoula's Providence Saint Patrick Hospital. Somers fire says 10 people went to the hospital via personal vehicles.

Somers fire says all patients are in stable condition as of 7 p.m. Saturday, but injuries range from mild to severe. Somers fire says no casualties reported at this point. They say children up to elderly people were injured. Emergency crews say they are waiting to hear updates from area hospitals on patient conditions.

  Somers fire says agencies responded from all over the Mission and Flathead valley's including but not limited to Rollins Fire Department, Lake County Sheriff's Office, Alert ambulance services, Lakeside Qru Ambulance, Evergreen Ambulance and emergency services from Big Fork, West Valley, Smith Valley, Polson and Ronan.

Scanner traffic reported emergency crews called in an MCI (mass casualty incident) trailer and summoned every available ambulance in the Lake County area.

Glacier Camp is a Presbyterian summer camp near Lakeside on the northwest shore of Flathead Lake. The camps website indicates a summer retreat on the weekend of June 17 and 18.

Somers fire says Lake County experienced another balcony collapse about a year ago on Lakeside Boulevard during a party at a private residence with 20 people involved.

We have a reporter at Kalispell Regional Medical Center who says several patients and families are present.

Somers fire says they do not believe the county has maximum capacity balcony regulations.

We will update this web page with more information as it becomes available.

The 7 U.S. sailors that were missing following a collision between the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald and Philippine-registered container ship ACX Crystal have been found dead inside the ship in the flooded berthing compartments

Missing sailors found dead inside Navy destroyer that collided with container ship




LUIS MARTINEZ

The seven sailors that were missing following a collision between a U.S. Navy ship and a merchant ship have been found dead, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News.

The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with a Philippine container ship off the coast of Japan in the early hours of Saturday morning local time, according to the Navy's 7th Fleet. The Fitzgerald was operating about 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, Japan, when it hit the container ship at approximately 2:30 a.m. local time.

Initially, five sailors were reported injured and seven sailors were reported missing, though the remains of those sailors have since been found.

"As search and rescue crews gained access to the spaces that were damaged during the collision this morning, the missing sailors were located in the flooded berthing compartments," the 7th Fleet said in a statement this evening. "They are currently being transferred to Naval Hospital Yokosuka where they will be identified."

The statement continues: "The families are being notified and being provided the support they need during this difficult time. The names of the sailors will be released after all notifications are made."

When reached for comment, Cmdr. Ronald Flanders of the U.S. Naval Forces Japan said the focus right now is on the families.

"An investigation will no doubt be conducted in weeks and moths ahead..." he said. "We've got people weeping on the pier right now."

Vice Adm. Joseph P. Aucoin of the 7th fleet said at a press conference Sunday that the Navy has ceased its search and rescue operation. While a U.S. official tells ABC News that seven bodies were found, Aucoin declined to confirm the number of fatalities, except to say that there were "a number" of missing personnel. He said he was doing so out of respect for the families.

Earlier, the 7th Fleet said the U.S. ship sustained damage on its starboard side and experienced flooding in some spaces.

At the press conference, Aucoin described the damage as "extensive," adding that there was a big puncture and gash below the waterline on one side of the ship. He also said three compartments were severely damaged.

"The ship is salvageable ... [it] will require some significant repair," Aucoin said. "You will see the USS Fitzgerald back ... It will take months, hopefully under a year."

Four sailors and the ship's commanding officer were medically evacuated by a Japanese coast guard helicopter, according to Cmdr. Richard Gourley of the U.S. Naval Forces Japan. The 7th Fleet has since confirmed the sailors are in stable condition and are being treated for lacerations and bruises at the Naval Hospital Yokosuka.

"U.S. and Japanese support from the Navy, Maritime Self-Defense Force and Coast Guard are in the area to ensure that the sailors on USS Fitzgerald have the resources they need to stabilize their ship," said Adm. John Richardson, Chief of Naval Operations, in an earlier statement.

"As more information is learned, we will be sure to share it with the Fitzgerald families and when appropriate the public," he added. "Thank you for your well wishes and messages of concern. All of our thoughts and prayers are with the Fitzgerald crew and their families."

"Right now we are focused on two things: the safety of the ship and the well-being of the sailors," said Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. "We thank our Japanese partners for their assistance."

An information center with available counselors has been set up at the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka.

===========

Aerial images show heavy damage to the starboard side of the USS Fitzgerald, after the Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan.

TOKYO, Japan -- 

Seven Navy sailors were missing and at least two, including the captain, were injured after a U.S. destroyer collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan before dawn Saturday, the U.S. Navy and Japanese coast guard reported.

Footage from the Japanese TV network NHK showed heavy damage to the mid-right side of the USS Fitzgerald and a person in a stretcher being lifted to a helicopter.

The Navy's 7th Fleet said on its Facebook page that the number of injuries is still being determined. The Fitzgerald has limited propulsion after suffering damage on the starboard side below the water line. A U.S. defense official said there is flooding in three compartments.

The Japan coast guard said it received an emergency call from a Philippine-registered container ship ACX Crystal around 2:20 a.m. (1720 GMT Friday) that it had collided with the USS Fitzgerald southwest of Yokusuka, Japan.

Coast guard official Takeshi Aikawa said seven Navy crew members are unaccounted for, and one had a head injury. Further details of his or her condition were not known.



Relatives of crew members were awaiting news of their loved ones.

"Of course we're nervous and scared and just praying," Rita Schrimsher said by telephone from Athens, Alabama.

Her grandson Jackson Schrimsher is a 23-year-old sailor aboard the Fitzgerald. She said she last communicated with him via Facebook messenger on Wednesday.

Aikawa said the ship was partially flooded because of damage. So far no damage or injuries have been reported on the container ship, he said. NHK reported that the merchant ship had scratches on the left side of its bow.

The Philippine ship is 29,060 tons and is 222 meters (730 feet) long, the coast guard said.

The Navy said that the collision occurred 56 nautical miles (103 kilometers) southwest of Yokosuka, a city south of Tokyo that is home to the 7th Fleet.

The fleet said the USS Dewey, medical assistance and two Navy tugs were being dispatched as quickly as possible and that naval aircraft were being readied to help. The Japan coast guard dispatched five patrol ships and an aircraft carrying medics to the site for search and rescue operations.

The Navy's Pacific Fleet said the extent of injuries and damage to the Fitzgerald are being determined, and the incident is under investigation. ======================

The Latest: Container ship operator says 20-member crew safe

2hr

YOKOSUKA, Japan (AP) — The Latest on a U.S. Navy ship collision (all times local): 4:15 p.m. Nippon Yusen K.K., the Japanese shipping company that oper

YOKOSUKA, Japan (AP) — The Latest on a U.S. Navy ship collision (all times local):4:15 p.m.
Nippon Yusen K.K., the Japanese shipping company that operates the container ship that collided with a U.S. Navy destroyer, says its 20-member crew all safe.
The nighttime collision off Japan left seven U.S. Navy sailors from USS Fitzgerald missing. Three, including the captain, have been injured.
Nippon Yusen says in a statement it is collaborating with the ship owner and fully cooperating with the investigation by the coast guard. The 29,060-ton ship, four times the size of the destroyer, is Philippine-flagged and all the crew are Filipinos.
Japan's Kyodo News service says the Japanese coast guard is investigating the incident with the U.S. Navy and plans to question the crew members of the ACX Crystal.
The cause of the collision wasn't immediately clear.

Aerial footage shows damage to a US Navy destroyer that collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan. The US military says there have been injuries. (June 16)

___
2:30 p.m.
The U.S. Navy says flooding has been stabilized on the USS Fitzgerald and sailors from the USS Dewey have come aboard to assist after the destroyer was damaged in an overnight collision that left seven crew missing.
The Navy's 7th Fleet reported the developments in an update on the stricken ship that was nearing the port of Yokosuka in Japan. It was using its own limited propulsion after suffering significant damage on the right side below the water line and a U.S. defense official said there was flooding in three compartments.
It wasn't clear yet what caused the nighttime collision between the destroyer and a container ship four times its size. Three crew have been injured and airlifted to shore, including the captain, who was reported in stable condition.
The search for the seven sailors is continuing Saturday.
___
1:20 p.m.
An Alabama woman says her grandson contacted her from the USS Fitzgerald to say he's OK after a nighttime collision off Japan left seven crew members missing and three injured.
Rita Schrimsher of Athens, Alabama, tweeted: "Just heard the sweetest voice and saw a wonderful face. He's okay. Thank you all for the prayers."
She says she spoke on Facetime with her 23-year-old grandson Jackson Schrimsher. She says: "It could have been worse so we're grateful."
The search continues for the seven sailors missing. Japan's coast guard says they were thought to have been thrown into the sea or possibly trapped inside damaged sections of the destroyer.
___
10:30 a.m.
The U.S. Navy 7th Fleet says two crew members, including the captain, have been evacuated from a Navy destroyer that collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan. Seven sailors are missing.
The Navy said in a statement that Cmdr. Bryce Benson, the ship's commanding officer, was evacuated to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, home base of the 7th Fleet. It says he was in stable condition.
Details on the second injured person being evacuated were not immediately available.
Navy chief Adm. John Richardson says Navy, Japanese maritime defense vessels and the Japanese coast guard are working to stabilize the badly damaged ship.
___
This item clarifies that Richardson is the head of Navy.
___
8:45 a.m.
Relatives of crew members of a U.S. Navy ship that collided with a merchant ship off Japan are awaiting news of their loved ones.
Rita Schrimsher of Athens, Alabama, said "of course we're nervous and scared and just praying."
Her grandson Jackson Schrimsher is a 23-year-old sailor aboard the USS Fitzgerald. She said she last communicated with him via Facebook messenger on Wednesday.
Seven crew members are unaccounted for after the U.S. destroyer collided with a Philippine-flagged merchant ship early Saturday morning. At least one was injured.
___
8:30 a.m.
The U.S. Navy says the USS Fitzgerald suffered damage below the water line on its starboard side after it collided with a Philippine-flagged merchant ship.
It says the destroyer's propulsion is limited.
The Navy says the USS Dewey, medical assistance and two Navy tugs are being dispatched as quickly as possible. Naval aircraft are also being readied to help.
The Japan Coast Guard has confirmed that seven crew members are missing and one is injured. The injured sailor had a head injury, but the details of his or her condition were unknown.
___
8 a.m.
The Japan Coast Guard has confirmed that seven crew members of a U.S. Navy destroyer are missing after a collision with a Philippine-flagged merchant ship off the coast of Japan.
Japan Coast Guard official Takeshi Aikawa said the USS Fitzgerald reports that seven are unaccounted for and one is injured.
The injured sailor had a head injury, but details of his or her condition were unknown.
Footage from Japanese broadcaster NHK showed a person in a stretcher being lifted from the deck to a Japan Coast Guard helicopter.
Aikawa said the U.S. ship is partially flooded because of damage and not capable of moving by itself.
He added that so far no damage or injuries to the container ship or its crew members have been reported.
The coast guard dispatched five patrol ships and an aircraft carrying medics to the site for search and rescue operations.
___
7:45 a.m.
Japanese broadcaster NHK reports that one person is injured and seven others unaccounted on a U.S. Navy ship after it collided with a merchant vessel in waters off Japan.
NHK footage on Saturday morning showed a person in a stretcher being taken up to a helicopter from the deck of the USS Fitzgerald.
The Navy said that the USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant ship 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, Japan. A U.S. defense official said there is flooding in three compartments of the Fitzgerald.
The U.S. 7th Fleet says on its Facebook page that it is working with the Japanese Coast Guard to conduct a medical evacuation for a sailor by helicopter, and that there are currently no reports of deaths.
___
7:15 a.m.
A U.S. Navy destroyer has collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan, the U.S. military said, and there have been injuries.
The U.S. 7th Fleet said on its Facebook page that the collision was with Philippine-flagged merchant vessel ACX Crystal. It says the Japanese Coast Guard is on scene.
Live footage shot from a helicopter Saturday morning by Japanese broadcaster NHK showed heavy damage to the mid-right side of the Navy ship, which appeared to be stationary in the water. People were standing on various parts of the deck.
The Navy said that the USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant ship 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, Japan. A U.S. defense official said there is flooding in three compartments of the Fitzgerald, and there were injuries.
___
7 a.m.
A U.S. Navy destroyer has collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan, the U.S. military said, and there have been injuries.
In a brief written statement, the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii said the Navy has requested assistance from the Japanese Coast Guard.
Live footage shot from a helicopter Saturday morning by Japanese broadcaster NHK showed heavy damage to the mid-right side of the Navy ship, which appeared to be stationary in the water. People were standing on various parts of the deck.
The Navy said that the USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant ship 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, Japan, a city south of Tokyo that is home to a U.S. Naval base. A U.S. defense official said there is flooding in three compartments of the Fitzgerald, and there were injuries.
The Pacific Fleet said the extent of injuries and damage to the Fitzgerald are "being determined," and the incident is under investigation.
In this photo released by Japan's Defense Ministry, an injured USS Fitzgerald personnel is carried by U.S. military personnel, left, and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force members upon arriving to the U.S. Naval base in Yokosuka, southwest of Tokyo, after the U.S. destroyer collided with the Philippine-registered container ship ACX Crystal in the waters off the Izu Peninsula Saturday, June 17, 2017. Seven Navy sailors were missing and at least two, including the captain, were injured after the collision off the coast of Japan before dawn Saturday, the U.S. Navy and Japanese coast guard reported. (Japan's Defense Ministry via AP)

U.S. military personnel prepare to transfer an injured on board USS Fitzgerald, off Izu Peninsula, Japan, after the Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship, Saturday, June 17, 2017. The Japan coast guard said it received an emergency call from a Philippine-registered container ship ACX Crystal early Saturday that it had collided with the Fitzgerald southwest of Yokusuka, Japan. (Japan's Defense Ministry via AP)

The damage of the right side of the USS Fitzgerald is seen off Shimoda, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, after the Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship, Saturday, June 17, 2017. The U.S. Navy says the USS Fitzgerald suffered damage below the water line on its starboard side after it collided with a Philippine-flagged merchant ship. (Iori Sagisawa/Kyodo News via AP)

The damage of Philippine-registered container ship ACX Crystal is seen off Izu Oshima, Japan, after it collided with the USS Fitzgerald, Saturday, June 17, 2017. The Japan coast guard said it received an emergency call from a Philippine-registered container ship ACX Crystal early Saturday that it had collided with the USS Fitzgerald. (Iori Sagisawa/Kyodo News via AP)

CORRECTS DATE - The USS Fitzgerald is seen off Shimoda, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, after the Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship, Saturday, June 17, 2017. Seven crew members are missing and one injured after the U.S. Navy destroyer collided early Saturday morning with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan, the country's coast guard reported. (Iori Sagisawa/Kyodo News via AP)

CORRECTS DATE - The Philippine-registered container ship ACX Crystal is seen off Izu Oshima, Japan, after it collided with the USS Fitzgerald southwest of Yokusuka, Japan, Saturday, June 17, 2017. The U.S. Navy says the USS Fitzgerald suffered damage below the water line on its starboard side after it collided with the Philippine-flagged merchant ship. (Iori Sagisawa/Kyodo News via AP)

CORRECTS DATE - The USS Fitzgerald is seen off Shimoda, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, after the Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship, Saturday, June 17, 2017. The Japan Coast Guard said it received an emergency call from a Philippine-registered container ship ACX Crystal early Saturday that it had collided with the USS Fitzgerald southwest of Yokusuka, Japan. (Iori Sagisawa/Kyodo News via AP)

CORRECTS DATE - The damage of Philippine-registered container ship ACX Crystal is seen off Izu Oshima, Japan, after it had collided with the USS Fitzgerald southwest of Yokusuka, Japan, Saturday, June 17, 2017. The U.S. Navy says the USS Fitzgerald suffered damage below the water line on its starboard side after it collided with the Philippine-flagged merchant ship. (Iori Sagisawa/Kyodo News via AP)

CORRECTS DATE - The USS Fitzgerald is seen off Shimoda, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, after the Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship, Saturday, June 17, 2017. The U.S. Navy says the USS Fitzgerald suffered damage below the water line on its starboard side after it collided with a Philippine-flagged merchant ship. (Iori Sagisawa/Kyodo News via AP)

CORRECTS DATE - The damage of the right side of the USS Fitzgerald is seen off Shimoda, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, after the Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship, Saturday, June 17, 2017. The U.S. Navy says the USS Fitzgerald suffered damage below the water line on its starboard side after it collided with a Philippine-flagged merchant ship. (Iori Sagisawa/Kyodo News via AP)

The damage of the right side of the USS Fitzgerald is seen off Shimoda, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, after the Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship, Saturday, June 17, 2017. Seven Navy sailors are missing and one was injured after a U.S. destroyer collided early Saturday morning with the Philippine-registered container ship off the coast of Japan, the country's coast guard reported. (Iori Sagisawa/Kyodo News via AP)

Map locates Yokosuka. Japan; 1c x 3 inches; 46.5 mm x 76 mm;

In this March 7, 2017, the guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) launches a missile from the aft missile deck during Multisail 17, a training exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Japanese forces, in the Philippine Sea. The U.S. Navy destroyer has collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan, the U.S. military said, and there have been injuries. In a brief written statement, the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii said the Navy has requested assistance from the Japanese Coast Guard. (Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class William McCann/U.S. Navy via AP)

In this June 1, 2017 photo, the guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald, foreground, (DDG 62) makes its way with the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group, through the Sea of Japan. The U.S. military said the Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan and said there have been injuries. In a brief written statement, U.S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii said the Navy has requested assistance from the Japanese Coast Guard. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kelsey L. Adams/US Navy via AP)

In this image provided by the U.S. Navy, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) pulls into Dry Dock 5 in Yokosuka, Japan on June 15, 2016. The U.S. military says the Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan and says there have been injuries. In a brief written statement, U.S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii said the Navy has requested assistance from the Japanese Coast Guard. It said June 16. that the USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant ship 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka. (Patrick Dionne/U.S. Navy via AP)

In this Aug. 20, 2013 photo, the guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) makes its way through the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. military said the Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan and said there have been injuries. In a brief written statement, U.S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii said the Navy has requested assistance from the Japanese Coast Guard. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul Kelly/U.S. Navy via AP)

Aerial footage shows damage to a US Navy destroyer that collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan. The US military says there have been injuries. (June 16)

 Source: http://www.cetusnews.com/views/rkgBYjLGQZ?cat=news&title=The-Latest%3A-Container-ship-operator-says-20-member-crew-safe

OFF-DUTY VINELAND, NJ POLICE OFFICER CHARLIE AMADEI, 33 KILLED AFTER A MINIVAN DRIVEN BY HIS WIFE COLLIDED WITH A PICKUP TRUCK AT ROUTE 322 AND GARWIN ROAD IN WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP, NJ

"I was told it was a 19-year-old male heading southbound in the pickup," township police Chief Richard Jaramillo said in an email Saturday afternoon. "It appears as if lack of patience/inattentive driving is the main reason for the crash." 

WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- An off-duty police officer has been killed in a highway crash that left his wife and three children injured.

Vineland police say 33-year-old Charlie Amadei was a passenger in a minivan that was eastbound on Route 322 in Woolwich Township when the vehicle and a pickup truck collided shortly before 4 p.m. Friday.

Amadei's wife and their three children - ages 14, 2, and 1 - were all treated at a hospital for minor injuries. The pickup truck driver was not injured.

Authorities say Amadei was a Vineland resident who served a special officer with the city's police force. But it wasn't clear Saturday how long he had served with the department.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

============

Vineland police officer killed in auto accident

Updated on June 17, 2017


By Matt Gray

mgray@njadvancemedia.com,

For NJ.com



WOOLWICH TWP. -- An off-duty Vineland police officer was killed in a two-vehicle crash Friday afternoon, township police confirmed.

Charlie Amadei, 33, of Vineland, was a passenger in a minivan traveling eastbound on Route 322 at Garwin Road when the crash occurred shortly before 4 p.m., Chief Richard Jaramillo said.

"We believe this tragic crash occurred due to another motorist failing to stop or yield at an intersection," Jaramillo said.

The minivan collided with a pickup truck traveling southbound on Garwin.

Amadei was traveling with his wife and three kids, ages 14, 2, and 1, the chief said. They were transported to a hospital with minor injuries.

The pickup driver, identified as a 19-year-old man, was evaluated at the scene and released with tickets pending completion of the investigation, Jaramillo said.

Amadei was employed as a special officer with the Vineland Police Department.
================







VINELAND – A Father’s Day weekend crash claimed the life of Charles Amadei, known as a hard-working family man and beloved Vineland police special officer.

Amadei, 33, of Vineland, died in a two-vehicle collision Friday afternoon along Route 322, near Garwin Road, in Woolwich Township.

“It’s tragic,” Vineland Police Chief Rudy Beu told The Daily Journal on Saturday.

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Amadei was employed by the Vineland Police Department as a Special Law Enforcement Officer 1 for many years.

“It’s a sad day for the city of Vineland Police Department; our thoughts and prayers go out to the Amadei family during this very difficult time,” the chief said.

Amadei was a passenger in a minivan that also carried his family including his wife, Michelle, and three children.

"We believe this tragic crash occurred due to another motorist failing to stop or yield at an intersection," Woolwich Police Chief Richard W. Jaramillo said.

The driver of the other vehicle, a pickup truck, was evaluated at the scene and released, with tickets pending completion of the investigation, Jaramillo said.

Mayor Anthony Fanucci has ordered that flags be lowered to half-staff the day of Amadei’s funeral, which has not been announced.

“He’s one of our own,” Fanucci said. “Since I’ve known him for a while and I’ve known him personally. I’m still in shock.”

The paths of Amadei and the mayor seemed to cross about once a week.

“We would talk about family and general stuff going on,” Fanucci said. “He was a helluva nice guy.”

At the police department, Amadei was an asset to the Vineland Police Athletic League as well as the community police unit.



City Councilman Al Vargas, the former Vineland PAL director, was a longtime friend of Amadei.

“He would give you the shirt off his back,” Vargas said, noting Amadei’s generous nature.

“He would be my Santa Claus, he was the Bunny, he never said no to me,” Vargas said.

Amadei seemed to have a never-ending network of contacts he used to help fill the PAL donation wish list.

"'No problem, Al,' he would say, and it would happen,” Vargas said. “He became a true good friend of mine.”

Just a week before the crash, Vargas had seen Amadei, who was volunteering at the Vineland Police Fishing Derby at South Vineland Park.

Last year, the Vineland PAL dedicated its fishing derby to William J. Amadei, who had succumbed to cancer.

In her husband’s obituary, Debra Amadei requested memorial donations be directed to the PAL Fishing Derby. Fishing was a bonding experience for her family, and Debra Amadei said she wanted to help other families make some happy memories.

Charles Amadei helped organize the event honoring his father-in-law.

“He was a responsible family guy,” Vargas said. “He was truly a gentleman.”

“We spoke yesterday,” Vargas said Saturday. “Just hours before he was killed, he texted me and I called him right back at 1:11; it’s still on my phone.”

At the end of the conversation, Amadei said, “Al, I’ll talk to you later,” Vargas recalled.

The crash, just three hours later, would take the young man’s life.


(Photo: Joe Lamberti/Staff Photographer)

Amadei was interested in getting a municipal job and asked Vargas to let him know of any upcoming vacancies.

In addition to his police position, Amadei worked for Wawa and was currently based in Atlantic County, Vargas said.

“He wanted to come to closer to home and he wanted be closer to his family,” the councilman said. “He was applying for the road department. We had some seasonal jobs open that he wanted to try and move in to get a full-time job.”

Vargas said he told him, “You would definitely have my recommendation.”

“He was always involved with us with National Night Out,” said Jason Scalzi, a retired police officer. “He was a SLEO 1 but he would always volunteer his time.”

“He had such great connections with the community — he was always a huge asset in raising funds and getting donations for National Night Out,” said Scalzi, noting Amadei “did all that on his time, without getting paid for it.”

“He knew everybody,” Scalzi said “He was well-loved guy in the community, he was self-sacrificing."

“He always gave of his own free time for the betterment of the community and for the betterment of the department,” added Scalzi, who said he praying for the Amadei family.

“Every year, he worked National Night Out, he would be one of our lead volunteers,” said Tom Ulrich, a retired Vineland police captain.

“Whatever you needed, he had connections everywhere and could get people to be part of National Night Out,” Ulrich said. “You name it, he could put his hands on it,”

Working as a Wawa gas pumps manager, Amadei also would help others, Ulrich said.

“If you knew someone who needed a job … he would offer to help them out,” he said. “He got both of my stepsons jobs at Wawa pumping gas when they were young.”

“He was hard-working and reliable. You didn’t have to worry about him not showing up,” Ulrich said. “If you gave him a task to do, he would complete it."

“I don’t know of anybody that that kid wouldn’t help out,” Ulrich said. 

==========



2 accidents within 8 hours leave off-duty cop dead, another man fighting for life

  Posted on June 17, 2017 at 4:21 PM



By Bill Duhart

bduhart@njadvancemedia.com,

For NJ.com

WOOLWICH, NJ -- A one-car accident here early Saturday morning has sent a 20-year-old man to the hospital with critical injuries, township police Chief Richard Jaramillo said.

It was the second major accident in the township within eight hours. The other wreck, at 4:30 p.m. Friday, left an off-duty police officer dead.

The one-car collision occurred shortly at 12:15 a.m. Saturday on Center Square Road near Tavistock Drive.

"A 20-year-old male driver was driving a compact car that ran off the roadway and into a tree," Jaramillo said. The man was taken to Cooper University Hospital in Camden. Jaramillo said that as of Saturday afternoon, he was still listed in critical condition.

A victim in the other incident fared much worse.

An off-duty Vineland police officer was killed in a two-vehicle crash Friday afternoon, township police confirmed.

Charlie Amadei, 33, of Vineland, was a passenger in a minivan traveling eastbound on Route 322 near Garwin Road when the crash occurred shortly before 4 p.m., Jaramillo said.

The minivan collided with a pickup truck driven by a 19-year-old man.

Amadei was traveling with his wife and three kids, ages 14, 2, and 1, the chief said. They were transported to a hospital with minor injuries.

The pickup driver was evaluated at the scene and released with tickets pending completion of the investigation.

"I was told it was a 19-year-old male heading southbound in the pickup," Jaramillo said in an email Saturday afternoon. "It appears as if lack of patience/inattentive driving is the main reason for the crash."

Amadei was employed as a special officer with the Vineland Police Department.