Woman Assaulted In Mall Bathroom, Pregnant Mother Killed In Crash

NEW JERSEY ? A pregnant mother of a four-year-old was killed in a fiery crash over the weekend, and a woman was shot to death by police who were called to the scene for a mental health crisis.

Catch up on the news that made headlines in New Jersey this weekend:

Woman Fatally Shot By Police

Police in Fort Lee fatally shot a woman early Sunday morning after her brother called police because she was having a "mental health crisis," officials said.

The state Attorney General?s Office is investigating the shooting.

According to a preliminary investigation, around 1:25 a.m., Fort Lee police officers headed to The Pinnacle apartment complex on Main Street after a man called 911 reporting that his sister "was having a mental health crisis and needed to go to the hospital," according to the Attorney General's Office.

The caller said his sister was holding a knife, officials said. On arrival, an officer spoke to the caller outside of the apartment in the building?s hallway. The officer then opened the apartment door and found two females; one appeared to be the sister and another female, authorities said.

The females told the officer not to come in and shut the door. The officer stood outside knocking on the door asking the women to open the door as additional officers arrived.

Officers "breached the door" and the sister approached them in the hallway. Then an officer fired, striking her in the chest, authorities said.

"Officers provided immediate medical aid. The female who was shot was transported to Englewood Hospital, and pronounced deceased at approximately 1:58 a.m.," the AG said. "A knife was recovered at the scene."

Man Assaults Woman In Mall Bathroom

A Bergen County man, 30, was charged after authorities said he followed a woman into a bathroom and attempted to sexually assault her.

Craig L. Herbert of New Milford was charged with attempted sexual assault, criminal restraint, criminal sexual contact, and simple assault.

On Friday, the Hackensack Police Department contacted the prosecutor's office regarding an alleged attempted sexual assault that occurred at the Riverside Square Mall in Hackensack the previous evening.

According to investigation, an unknown man followed the woman into a restroom in the mall, where he shoved the victim to the floor and attempted to sexually assault her. The woman was able to fight off her attacker before calling 9-1-1, authorities said.

The suspect fled the scene but was captured on security surveillance footage.

Pregnant Woman Killed In Fiery Crash

Two people, including a pregnant woman, were killed and seven injured in a fiery crash Friday in Egg Harbor Township, according to reports.

Several cars were involved in the crash on Black Horse Pike. A good samaritan who tried helping the victims was also injured, according to NJ.com.

A 2017 Nissan Sentra driving westbound traveled into oncoming traffic and struck a 2018 Kia Forte. The force of the impact pushed the Kia backward and it was struck by a 2020 Nissan Sentra, reported CBS News. The debris from the crash also struck another vehicle.

After the crash, the 2017 Nissan Sentra started to catch fire and several witnesses and passing motorists stopped to help and get people out, according to NBC Philadelphia.

The driver of the Kia Forte, 21-year-old Escarlin Suriel of Atlantic City, died in the crash. A passenger of the 2017 silver Nissan Sentra, 22-year-old Gabriella Constrantino of Pleasantville, also died from her injuries.

Two juvenile passengers in the 2017 silver Nissan Sentra were taken to the hospital and are listed in critical condition; another passenger, a 25-year-old man, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and a 27-year-old man and passenger of the Kia Forte was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and two occupants of the red Nissan were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, reported WHYY News.

According to a GoFundMe, Suriel was eight months pregnant and the mother of a 4-year-old daughter.

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