Man Hospitalized With Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

A township senior was hospitalized today after accidentally shooting himself in the stomach.

Police responded to a Baywood Drive home at 1:30 p.m. to tend to the victim, a 77-year-old man, Chief Michael Mastronardy said. The resident was cleaning out his closet and checked on his .357 handgun, but had difficulty with the slide, the chief said. In the process, he fired the gun into his stomach.

The resident was transported by Toms River EMS to Jersey Shore Hospital in Neptune. 

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A Manchester man was charged with shoplifting after a theft at Pathmark this afternoon.

Officer Terry Warren was off-duty at 2:30 p.m. when he said he saw Michael Butterfield, 28, running from the Route 9 store with a cart full of groceries that weren't bagged.

Upon further investigation, Butterfield was found to have an outstanding $164 warrant out of Mount Laurel. He also was charged with shoplifting by investigating Officer Ron Sermarini.

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Cardinal Drive residents were robbed of jewelry today when their home was burglarized.

Mastronardy said the residents' property was entered through the rear gate. The burglar(s) then entered their shed and removed a tool which was used to break a rear window to get into the home, the chief said. Jewelry was reported stolen.

Officer Robert Burczyk and Detective John Bajcic are investigating.

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A single-car accident caused a fire hydrant to wash out a sidewalk this afternoon.

Mastronardy said a Toms River teen was westbound on Bay Avenue, heading toward North Tunesbrook Drive, when he lost control of his Land Rover and struck a curb and fire hydrant.

The impact of the collision activated the hydrant and resulted in water gushing onto the sidewalk and street. The road was temporarily closed to allow the water line to be repaired, Mastronardy said.

The teen driver wasn't injured.