Manchester: Yesterday we posted the story of the victim who drowned at Asarco on his ATV. Below is the official OCPO Presser with accident details and victim’s name. RIP Mr. Grover- and everyone else please learn a lesson. Stay OUT of Asarco, especially at night!
(OCPO) Manchester: Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Manchester Township Chief of Police Lisa Parker announced that on December 12, 2020, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to Heritage Minerals Mine, also known as ASARCO, on Route 70 in Whiting, for a report of a motor vehicle accident with a submersion. Responding Officers spoke to a group of people who were driving Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTV’s), the group related to the Officers that a UTV had entered the lake at the center of the property, causing the driver and the passengers to be submerged in the lake.
The UTV and one of the passengers, a 62 year-old James Grover, Howell, did not resurface. The other passengers and members of the group attempted to locate Mr. Grover but were unsuccessful. Manchester Township Police and members of the Manchester, Ridgeway and Whiting Volunteer Fire Companies conducted an underwater dive search and rescue operation and located the UTV overturned and submerged in 25 feet of water. Mr. Grover was attached to the UTV by his safety harness. Mr. Grover was removed from his safety harness and life saving measures were performed by Manchester Township Emergency Medical EMT’s and Robert Wood Johnson Paramedics. Mr. Grover succumbed to his injuries; a suspected drowning, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Chief Parker and I would like to commend the heroic efforts of the Manchester Volunteer Fire Company, Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company, Whiting Volunteer Fire Company, Manchester Township Emergency Medical Services, Robert Wood Johnson Paramedics, New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, “ Prosecutor Billhimer stated.
“This is an active and ongoing investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, Manchester Township Police Traffic Safety Unit and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit,” Prosecutor Billhimer concluded.
And yet my brother got a ticket for walking his dog back there. Every weekend there are dozens of trucks and trailers filling up the Wawa at north Hampton. Cops do nothing. Except if your walking a dog.
Lou Amato they can only do something to people they catch
For YEARS, all year long people sneak back there thru dozens of trails. Police can’t stay back there babysitting 24/7. Maybe all these accidents should be more publicized. So many people have gotten injured or died back there. People haven’t learned to stay AWAY from that lake or stay off that property.
Frank Favocci they turn a blind eye. I live in pine lake park. I can hear them all the way back in my neighborhood. There’s no way your gonna tell me any cop worth his salt doesn’t see 15 trucks at the same time all loaded with quads and UTVs at wawa gassing up is honestly going to say “ they must just be passing through town”.
Lou Amato not a crime to get gas, cant make assumptions to arrest people
I used to wheel out there back in the 80’s. But when they started cracking down and dragging out all the old cars from the lake, they were supposed to keep it shut because people don’t know to stay away from the water.
Frank Favocci the cops can patrol and investigate. Nobody is saying they should be stopped as they get gas, but if it’s a known area where people go they should be there regularly for sure…..
We also do need legal options….
Samuel Ross the guy above you literally just said they should…they do arrest people often and summons are issued, can’t catch everyone, sarco has been a party spot since they shut down for ATV riders alike, i don’t believe they’re allowed to “chase” people on ATVs because that would cause alot more problems and injuries, its too large an area to fence off, but precautions have been made, they try to seal people out but only the honest ones listen, same as a door lock
Samuel Ross certainly not stopped getting gas. But it doesn’t take Columbo to figure out where they are going. Manchester has plenty of 4WD vehicles. They just need to put on out there. My honest opinion, it should be public use land. Typical disclaimers. Use at own risk. You get hurt thats on you. Not sue the town or Hovnanian.
Frank Favocci they put a gate up on Rt70 entrance, so guess that didn’t help.
Lou Amato insurance would be unattainable for it to be public use, i understand why people are mad, but this has been an ongoing battle for 40+ years, they’ve been saying they’re going to turn it into a gated community, they could put another highway through to Lacey Twp. But honestly the place needs a thorough cleaning before they could even begin construction, all in all itll just take too long and cost too much money for them tovdo anything with it
Marie Kadlac-richardson the major problem is that it covers too much area for gates and fences, put a fence up and people will just cut another trail or opening
Lou Amato a man lost his life. Stop bitching about a ticket. Ffs.
Lisa Miller Herbert a shame fir sure, but really, who’s fault is that?
Lou Amato his. Doesn’t mean you can’t show some damn empathy or keep your fingers to yourself and just keep scrolling. Ps… who’s fault was it he got a ticket?
Lou Amato Now it’s just bodies they drag out. Getting a stupid ticket isn’t deterring people from going back there & stopping all the out of state plates from coming. They start confiscating ATV’s & put that in the news, that might deter some!
Mariah Prokop agreed
Marie Kadlac-richardson They will go around it. But it’s another way of saying Stay Out.
Lou Amato I’m agreeing with you that’s why I tagged the other guy when I said that.
Samuel Ross we’re on the same team here
Lou Amato same team and still lost the argument ????????
No one should be there. It’s private property, hence the ticket.
Police can’t be there 24/7
If someone calls regarding trespassing, police show up.
There’s been multiple deaths there. It’s not safe.
Lou Amato Over the summer from the previous drowning they partnered with TRPD and began hanging out at the most popular entrances like across from wawa. I spoke to a TR policeman parked over there and he told me they were cracking down. While we were talking a small truck with a uhaul trailer came past us on his way to the trail so he went and pulled him over. Meanwhile there was 2 trucks from NY with trailers full of quads. Every weekend they are there and then cross over 37 to hit the trails. I bet they will ramp up efforts again now after this.
Samuel Ross its private property. Police don’t patrol private property
Lou Amato lol. You’re complaining about people riding back there and then talk about how you used to ride back there?
WHY IS HE SWIMMING IN DECEMBER ?
HE WASN’T SWIMMING
It literally says “UTV accident”…
i guess he didn’t unstand why the fence was there
Karl Bogus there’s no fence around the lake
Ben Koolidge He wasn’t swimming. He was on a UTV, it’s in the article.
Mariah Prokop It said he drowned on his UTV is that possible?
Dee Nah He was strapped in, it was submerged. UTV is NOT like a quad that you just hop off.
Mariah Prokop gotcha.
WHY DON’T YOU READ THE ARTICLE??
Scott Hendrickson they put a gate on rt70
Marie Kadlac-richardson you know how many entrances there is to get in there?
Scott Hendrickson don’t try to reason with unintelligent people ????
Scott Hendrickson it was stated that there was a fence at the entry which obviously was ignored, had no problem trespassing, from Howell doesn’t know the place, ends up learning a hard way,should of researched his idea more
lmao do you know how big sarco is? And yea the guys a local with property that backs up to the pit… you should know before you speak
Karl Bogus tell me again how the whole pits fenced in? Get a clue
Scott Hendrickson didn’t say the whole thing was fenced in and the article said person was from howell so since he had property backed up to it guess he felt he could infringe on some elses
Dude was 60 years old been riding there his whole life freak things happen he was the passenger that died
Scott Hendrickson thats right things happen and they are sad to experience but they knew and im gonna say it ,FOR years they had been trespassing and even though i don’t go there i even knew to stay away from the lake edge
Karl Bogus First off, dont believe everything you read on these bullshit media sites. It was NOT his ATV and HE WAS NOT DRIVING IT EITHER.
Amanda Grace BUT STILL VIDDISH !
Linda Contreras
5 will get you 10 that heritage minerals will be sued…even though the group was not supposed to be in there. it never fails to amaze how people think the laws do not apply to them.
Using just a little common scene would have went a long way. . . It’s dark out, don’t go. . . It’s dark out, ride slow enjoy the views. . . ????
Who the hell swimming this time of year
Bruce Beyer he was not swimming. Read the article.
So very sad 🙁
It sucks he drowned but a lot of people have atv’s dirtbikes, etc and no place to ride them. Maybe open it up let people enjoy themselves and maybe less accidents will happen
Mike Weber Opening things up and letting people ride is not going to decrease accidents. Stupid people will still get hurt/killed regardless.
That’s like saying, “let the criminals have their guns anyway and less crimes will happen”
Matty St Germain true but maybe if they had more legal places it may help. I go to the pit in Jackson with my rc cars all the time and see the dirt bikes getting chased out
Mike Weber In order for less people to get hurt it would have to be regulated with ems on standby like a race track, Tall flags like they do in nevada to see others coming over a dune/hill and marked out trails with regulations etc. I used to go out there all the time back in the 90’s early 2000’s I grew up out there practically and i still live here. Some of my friends go out there from time to time and tell me how bad the out of state/out of towners are. They have almost gotten hit by them a few times and they also bring dj equipment out there on weekends. Our house is backed up to those woods and all night long every night all we hear is trucks/atvs and spanish rap/club blasting. It’s one thing to ride and want the freedom too. It’s another thing entirely to ride like and asshole disturb the peace of neighboring homes. Don’t get me wrong. I love wheeling and riding but these out of state assholes are out of control. They even come into neighborhoods like mine at night and steal peoples quads. A lot of that happened the last 2 summers. You won’t see locals doing shit like that.
Matty St Germain wow I didn’t know all that. That sucks but thetr is so many good places off of 70 but all illegal it sucks
Mike Weber Yes there is, I have been to many of them. You can trail ride legally with trucks in Chatsworth as long as your not tearing stuff up and are out by sundown. But atvs are still illegal. There is one legal park in NJ that i know of. You pay a fee and sign a waiver. But no one wants to go there because they can’t party and ride like assholes.
Matty St Germain ugh that sucks. But I understand the asshole part when I go to the pit in Jackson. Some are cool and stay on the other side but some just fly across the corners and almost took me out a few times. And I love to bring my kid with me to
Mike Weber And that’s exactly why damn near everything that is fun to do is illegal in NJ.
Matty St Germain LOL it’s true
Matty St Germain you can get hurt in a skate park that they allow in this jackass state why can’t they have places for riders they will know the risks just like skate boarders and bikes
Karl Bogus There’s a privately owned atv park in NJ you can pay to ride on or have a friend with private land that will let you ride. Its partly about environmental and animal conservation. Well asarco is privately owned plus they keep denying them developing homes due to endangered species out there. You could always ask Governor asshat that question. Good luck though
So very sad…wish people would stop trespassing..
Its private property stay out…. we need a public place for those who wNt to ride to ride in
Mare Mare yea but people who can’t ride will still be out at that place and getting hurt
RIP????
I live in pine ridge, and they all drive down township line road all hours of the night, any night, of the week. You can hear them from where i live.
Marie Kadlac-richardson including 2 in the morning. I couldn’t believe how loud it was the other night. It used to be just occasional, but this year there’s a lot going on off township line road. You can hear them inside the park. They seem to be in packs of 8 or maybe 10, at least that’s what I’ve seen riding down Township Line Road.
Marie Kadlac-richardson its out of control
Marie Kadlac-richardson its out of control
Marie Kadlac-richardson so what. I live on a dead end rd in Bayville and I got the same thing going on. I dont mind it. Most people are responsible & not bothering Any one.
Turn some music on if you don’t like the noise ????????
Cheryl Smith I don’t care if they do it during the day, but the shit between midnight and 3am has got to stop.
Laura Sidoti I guess you’re not dealing with it when you’re trying to sleep late at night.
April Thompson my thought to
If this is private property the police can’t do anything without the owner filing complaints
Scott Heeney full story
Another one Fitz John
Thinning the herd of the morons who aren’t capable of common sense.
Edward Good wow. I guess we can say that about you when you drop!!!
Warren E Kuhlthau III People like him will get what they deserve in good time.
That’s so not right. Accidents happen. Have some respect for a family who is mourning a loss two weeks before Christmas.
Edward Good true fact…shit happens when you don’t follow rules.
Edward Good You might know my Uncle and or my father by the year and town you graduated from.. How dare you fucking say what you just did. Thinning the herd huh? You got some fucking nerve because you didnt know this man or what he meant to his family and friends. So do yourself a favor and keep comments like this to yourself.. Thinning out YOUR herd, think how that would feel next time you make an ignorant statement.
Edward Good ^^^^
There is people out there again right now. I can hear them.
Sad. Prayers for the family.
For those mentioning having no where to ride, start attending your town board meetings. Maybe if enough people get together on it, you can stop the over development that is destroying the state.
Kelly Shumaker that has nothing to do with no won’t let you ride
Charlie bummer!
Allison Marie so beautiful back there. Too many fools taking too many foolish chances.
I truly feel for those involved, but a person must be doing stupid shit to windup in the water, it just shouldn’t ever happen.
I can’t tell you how many times I jeep back there and there was NEVER anything close to a problem.
Very sad tragedy so sorry to his family and friend’s..????
Cathy Vanpelt Ahladianakis see I told you I mixed the stories up
So so sad
The more stable a off-road machine is ( quad or side by side ), the more reckless it’s driven. . . I don’t get-it. . . ????
I rode my quad out there for years. I can remember when the lake wasn’t there – or when it was orange from all the mining.
Maby we shouldn’t mine for shit near Suburban neighborhoods and clean up unsafe shit in the woods to make it safe, (like we fill skate parks with dirt )and police the Forrest and shit but I don’t really kno shit.
Trump built a wall and that kind of worked
Lots of great memories at Sarco! Sad that people die out there…
This is really a very tragic accident. I cannot imagine Mr. Grover would knowingly put himself and his passengers in that situation. My thoughts are with his friends and family. Now for some thoughts…I truly believe that if this area had been taken under control by the county and/or state, and opened to ATV/UTV as a recreational area to ride legally, it would have been unlikely for this tragedy to happen. It would also force the illegal element, for the most part, to be diminished. NJ really does need to have a place for people to come out and ride. If it is done in the same manner to what is being done with AOAA in PA WITH the support from both the county and state, the local area would stand to benefit. I ride my SxS at AOAA a few times a month (2hr drive because NJ lacks a legal place) and I will say that they are very well organized with set operating hours. With marked trails and set speed limits on mostly one-way directional trails, it’s as safe of an environment as you can get in this sport. Because of the organization, I have yet to see an idiot ignoring the list of established rules set for the area. This includes reckless riding, possession of alcohol, loud exhaust and an age limitation for vehicle operation. If rules are ignored, it is an immediate rejection from the park. To enter, you need to sign a waiver, have a registered and insured vehicle and pay either a daily fee or purchase a yearly pass. There is also a very strict carry-in/carry-out policy. No trash is left behind….At all! With many riders there with their families, it makes for a very pleasant way to spend a day. If the mining has already ruined the land, why not turn it into something positive that can be used with proper guidelines.