YOU MAY NOT HEAR FROM ME FOR A WHILE!

Wall man leads police on chase

By Dan Zomack (The Coast Star)

A Wall resident who has a history of problems with Wall police and fire officials, was thrown into the county jail after being charged with two counts of simple assault and endangering the welfare of a child, in addition to leading police on a 90-minute chase.

On Wednesday, June 11, at 6:09 p.m., patrols responded to a Wall Township residence on a call for service, stated Wall Police Lt. John Galvin.

As a result of an on-scene investigation, and after a 90-minute K9 track, Robert Fuhr, 34, of Belmar Boulevard in Wall, was arrested and charged with two counts of simple assault, one count each of endangering the welfare of a child, terroristic threats, and obstruction of administration of law, according to Lt. Galvin.

“Due to privacy issues,” the lieutenant said, “no further information will be released.”

Bail was set at $52,500 by Wall Municipal Court Judge Thomas Brennan. After processing, Mr. Fuhr was transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution [MCCI], Freehold, in default of bail.

Mr. Fuhr was set to have a trial on Friday for a separate matter after he allegedly violated a court order barring him from having any contact with Wall officials. That May 8 arrest could potentially land him in jail for 180 days, if he is found guilty of the charges against him.

According to Wall Deputy Court Administrator Linda L. Gifford, Monmouth County Municipal Courts Presiding Judge John G. Colannino, who was to hear the case, was ill and cancelled the trial.

A new trial date has not yet been scheduled.

While attempting to maintain the scene and evidence at an accident site, according to Wall Police Sgt. Pete Lokerson, Mr. Fuhr was observed to be in the area that was being cleared by Wall Ptl. Todd Verrecchia.

The Wall Township Police were dispatched to a reported motor vehicle accident with an ejection in the area of Ocean Road and Old Mill Road on the border of Wall and Spring Lake Heights.

Arriving units found the call to be a car vs. pedestrian accident with the pedestrian lying injured on the side of Old Mill Road, according to Wall Police Sgt. Pete Lokerson.

Sgt. Lokerson said that Mr. Fuhr was filming the activity when he was approached by the patrolman.

Sgt. Lokerson stated that Ptl. Verrecchia was aware Judge Colannino had issued an order in January barring Mr. Fuhr from coming into any direct contact with any Wall officials for a period of one year, which included videotaping Wall officials.

Judge Colannino heard the case after Judge Thomas Brennan recused himself from the case. Judge Brennan did not provide a reason for recusing himself, nor is he required to do so.

The no-contact order came about after Mr. Fuhr was found guilty by Judge Colannino in Wall Municipal Court on Jan. 24 of harassing John Rosenfeld, a full-time firefighter with the Glendola Fire Department and the brother of Glendola Fire Department Capt. Christopher Rosenfeld, who Mr. Fuhr was convicted of harassing on Dec. 13 last year.

In the December case, Judge Colannino fined Mr. Fuhr $400 on one count of harassment and $256 for careless driving.

Capt. Rosenfeld alleged that on Sept. 13, 2006, Mr. Fuhr harassed him on Belmar Boulevard after an incident in which Mr. Fuhr “checked his brakes” twice as Capt. Rosenfeld was driving behind him, in a manner to cause alarm, annoy or injure Capt. Rosenfeld.

In the second incident, Mr. Fuhr was arrested on Sept. 15, 2006 and charged with aggravated assault in the fourth degree and harassment for allegedly swerving his vehicle into the oncoming lane of traffic on 16th Avenue. John Rosenfeld was driving in a marked fire vehicle on 16th Avenue when Mr. Fuhr allegedly swerved in front of him.

Judge Colannino found Mr. Fuhr guilty on two counts of harassment from the incident with Mr. Rosenfeld.

Prior to sentencing Mr. Fuhr in the John Rosenfeld incident, Riverside-based attorney Jeffrey E. Snow, who was representing Mr. Fuhr, stated, “I don’t anticipate any further problems between these parties,” adding, “so he [Mr. Fuhr] can move on with his life.”

Mr. Fuhr, who has been in the MCCI since Wednesday’s arrest, could not be reached for comment.

Mr. Fuhr is being represented by the office of Wall Public Defender Ernest Bongiovanni in the matter in which Mr. Fuhr is alleged to have broken the judge’s order.

“The judge will make a final decision when the case is all done,” said Mr. Bongiovanni.

Mr. Bongiovanni said he was unaware of Mr. Fuhr’s latest brush with the law but that his office was only representing him in the May 8 matter.

Mr. Bongiovanni said that his associate, Chris Brennan, was the trial lawyer for Mr. Fuhr.

Mr. Brennan said that he could not comment on a pending case.

Mr. Fuhr received a $1,000 fine, plus $33 in court costs, on each count, as well as 90 days in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution on each count, for a total of $2,066 in fines and 180 days in jail.

The sentence was suspended with the stipulation that Mr. Fuhr does not come into contact with any Wall Township official over the course of the next year.

If so, Judge Colannino stated, Mr. Fuhr would be immediately placed into the county jail for 180 days and fined the full amount.