What happened in Seaside Heights? 73 arrested, three stabbed over Memorial Day weekend

SEASIDE HEIGHTS - Seventy-three people were arrested here Memorial Day weekend during a 72-hour period marred by fights, unruly crowds and three stabbings that prompted police to shut down the boardwalk May 26.
The boardwalk reopened later in the day, following the arrests of 52 adults and 21 juveniles from 6 a.m. May 23 to 6 a.m. May 26, said Detective Steve Korman, police spokesman.
One of the arrested adults was charged with possessing a firearm, he said.
Five minutes after the last of three reported stabbings in that time period, Police Chief Thomas Boyd shut down the boardwalk at 12:05 a.m. on May 26, "taking a proactive approach to ensure public safety,'' Korman said.
None of the stabbings were fatal, and none of the victims cooperated in a law-enforcement investigation, he said.
Also during the 72-hour period, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle in neighboring Seaside Park and flown by helicopter to a medical facility, Korman said.
The holiday weekend brought approximately 100,000 visitors to the borough, Korman said.
"The last few days have been mayhem in this town,'' said Sarah Frailey, a bartender at EJ's Tap House on the boardwalk.
"It's normally not like this,'' Frailey said. "There's a ton of kids here over Memorial Day weekend, more than the usual in the last few years, a lot of fights on the boardwalk.
"Kids were out of control,'' she said. "It's like the Jersey Shore show.''
After large groups of unruly teens created havoc on the boardwalk on Memorial Day weekends in the recent past, borough officials this year put in place plans to increase police presence and enforce a curfew on minors from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
"There's supposed to be a curfew for kids who are underage, who aren't supposed to be on the boardwalk after 10 p.m.,'' Frailey said. "But I think the last two nights, Friday and Saturday, there was no way they could contain that in a sense, and then they finally had enough after last (Sunday) night and did an evacuation on the whole boardwalk.''
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said police did not shut down any businesses on the boardwalk.
Billhimer said detectives from his office were in Seaside Heights all weekend to assist borough police.
"While I am disappointed by the conduct of some of the people who came to visit Seaside Heights this weekend, the Seaside Heights Police Department and all of the assisting agencies, by and large, did a great job this weekend ensuring the safety of the majority of our visitors and our locals,'' Billhimer said.
Also assisting borough police over the weekend were staff from the Ocean County Sheriff's Office and Brick police, including K9 units from both agencies, Korman said.
Among the numerous calls police responded to were the three stabbings.
The first occurred about 8 p.m. on May 24 on the ocean block of Webster Avenue, Korman said. There, officers found a 21-year-old man suffering from a stab wound to his back, the detective said. The victim was evaluated by Tri-Boro First Aid Squad and flown by helicopter to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, he said.
About 6:45 p.m. on May 25, officers responded to a report of another stabbing at Sherman Avenue and Ocean Terrace, where they located a 22-year-old man suffering from a stab wound to the hip, Korman said. The victim was evaluated by Tri-Boro First Aid and taken by ambulance to Jersey Shore, he said.
About 12:00 a.m. on May 26, police responded to Kearney Avenue and Ocean Terrace for a report of a third stabbing. There, they found an 18-year-old man with a stab wound to the right thigh, Korman said. He, too, was evaluated by Tri-Boro First Aid and taken by ambulance to Jersey Shore.
Five minutes later, the police chief ordered the boardwalk shut down, Korman said.
All three stabbing victims were "uncooperative and signed off an any further police assistance/investigation,'' Korman said.
About 1 a.m. on May 26, police were called to a fight at Grant Avenue and Ocean Terrace. During the police response, Patrolman James Hans arrested Byron Czaplicki, 21, of Beachwood, and charged him with possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, resisting arrest and obstruction of justice, Korman said.
Billhimer pledged continued support to Seaside Heights' police chief and Mayor Anthony E. Vaz.
"We will work with Seaside Heights and all of our shore towns to make sure we are continually making improvements in strategic planning for these holiday weekends,'' Billhimer said. "We will not tolerate lawless behavior anywhere here in Ocean County.''
Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Seaside Heights boardwalk closed amid Memorial Day weekend mayhem

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