After Boy's Drowning, 'There Are No Words'
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QUITE A CREW HOUOAY RUN Ihm WMtMdHiah School «V Crantord't 28th annual <**"* in Kmmy't Craw Coat of Fkmerackmr Four MUm wM poem CWMMtHMB wO ifCNta WVM* POT M0 HtQnUQnt wtG'-Juty 4Un t&tnvr i^mcar SOCM^ 1b mod * at Nomabmgah Pajk nmxt nf)M? you con fMip, tuftt to /t00m' rOf MM On IrM FOCO, $09 thm prwvimw ttory in Sports, Pag* Community Mm, rogm ft-f ci: SOetfitt XtBB Vol. 22, No. 26 Serving Westfield, Scotch Plains and Fanwood Friday, June 29,2007 After boy's TRAINING DAY Driver pleads guilty in drowning, crash that killed friend Linden man, 21, faces two friends, including 'there are Costa, home after a night of up to five years in jail partying. "In an intoxicated haze, no words' A 21-year-old Linden Hamilton drifted over the •V TMBHBBA STULTZ man is facing up to five center line and into the years in prison after plead- oncoming traffic. At that THE RECORD-PRESS ing guilty to second degree point, he clipped a vehicle WESTFIELD — "There vehicular homicide in con- traveling north," Rosenthal are no words." nection with the death of said. "He then drove his That is what David his friend in a March 20O6 pickup truck from the left Konig Sr. wrote Tuesday, accident in Scotch Plains. lane to the right lane, and after the funeral of a son he Edward Hamilton then off the roadway, run- referred to as his "puppy entered his guilty plea ning headlong into a tree monster." Monday before Superior over 440 feet past the ini- Konig's son, David Jr., a Court Judge William L'E. tial point of impact." 6-year-old Brooklyn resi- Wertheimer, according to a The friend in the back dent, drowned on June 14 statement issued by the seat of the truck, Anthony at the Manor Park Swim Union County Prosecutor's Branham of Rahway, suf- Club, a private facility on Office. He will be sen- fered injuries that were Connecticut Street. tenced on Aug. 31. serious but not life-threat- After graduating from According to the author- ening. Hamilton sustained kindergarten just one day ities, Hamilton was high on minor injuries, and the earlier, David Jr. was at the drugs as he drove his driver of the other vehicle club along with his siblings Dodge pickup south on the was not injured. and mother; they were Martine Avenue Extension Rosenthal said the police invited to enjoy a day of shortly before noon March found no evidence that swimming and fun by a 11. He sides wiped a vehicle Hamilton ever hit the family friend who lives in PHOTOS BY KEN BUNIEWSKI/VIPDIGITALSOLUTIONS.COM headed in the opposite brakes after he clipped the SWAT taam mambara arrfva at tha acana during Tuaaday'a training aaaalon In Scotch direction, then veered back Scotch Plains. The weather Plalna. other car. was sunny and warm on the to the right and hit a tree. A 2002 graduate of the first day of summer, and the The crash pinned the front Arthur L. Johnson High pool was busy. Officers learn from SWAT team members seat passenger, Mark School in Clark, where he But during a lifeguard Costa, 21, of Clark. Costa was an honor student, class shift change shortly before was pronounced dead at the president and member of scene from brain injuries 3 p.m. another swimmer THE RECORD-PRESS the track and field and saw the boy floating caused by blunt force trau- swimming teams, Costa beneath the overhang of a SCOTCH PLAINS — ma. was a junior at Montclair lifeguard stand. She tapped Scores of Union County's According to Union State University. He lived him gently, but David was bravest swarmed the campus County Assistant in Clark for 17 years after unresponsive. at the John H. Stamler Police Prosecutor Robert spending his early child- He was quickly taken Academy Tuesday afternoon, Rosenthal, Hamilton had hood in Elizabeth. from the water, and a outfitted in heavy body cocaine and marijuana in Hamilton turned himself "woman jumped in and armor with military grade his system and had been in to authorities about a began to administer CPR," firearms blazing. "huffing* cans of "Dust-Off," month after the crash, said Police Chief John It wasn't a drug raid or a product used to clean Parizeau. A medic unit from hostage situation, though — computers, prior to driving (Continued on page A-2) the nearby Southside Fire more like a memorable class Station on Central Avenue activity. soon arrived at the scene, Members of the special- and the boy was taken to ized task force SWAT WF Council endorses Robert Wood Johnson (Special Weapons and University Hospital in Tactics) were on hand to Rahway. He was pro- demonstrate the proper pro- $3.2M pool renovation nounced dead at approxi- cedure for conducting high- poors surface area by scal- mately 4:18 p.m. risk raids to some.of the Project will be funded ing back on underutilized Officials are awaiting the state's top future narcotics through pool revenue sections like an 18-foot results of an autopsy to officers. , deck and diversifying areas determine the cause of The uniformed team exe- for pool usage. cuted two high-risk entries David's death, but authori- THE RECORD-PRESS The renovations should ties have said there is no into a structure, culminating add another 50 to 75 years indication of suspicious the exhibition with an explo- WESTFIELD — At a of use to the nearly 40-year- activity. "All indicates that sive entry through a fortified conference meeting old facility, thanks to a new it was a tragic accident," door with flash band Offlcara breach tha door aftar using a flaah bang davlca Tuesday night, members of type of concrete and tech- said Union County grenades. uaad to confuaa tha "auspacta." the Town Council endorsed nology, Kaufman told coun- Assistant Prosecutor Eileen "This stuff will go through an estimated $3.2 million cil members. In addition to Walsh. anything," the team leader called on for 12 to 30 assign- try to use just enough force to renovation of the Memorial the aesthetic improve- A woman who answered shouted to the crowd of 104 ments a year, can secure a stop the threat. The goal is Pool complex. ments, planned structural the phone at the swim club students from county, state, high-threat structure in not to kill," said the SWAT A bond ordinance to pay repairs are crucial to main- refused to comment on the and federal agencies. about 2O minutes. official who explained the for the upgrades will be tenance and preventing the In a best case scenario, the Though the unit is pre- introduced at the council's current loss of about 10,000 (Continued on page A-3 highly experienced unit, pared for any situation, "We (Continued on page A-3 July 10 meeting. Because gallons of water a day along the pool complex is a self- the pool's perimeter. supporting utility, the proj- "There are no if, ands, or Giving new meaning to the word 'greenhouse' ect will be paid for through buts about it," said pool user fees rather than Kaufman. "We need to keep Prospect Street home will be self-sustaining, developers say ferent wastes property taxes. up with the trends. This is Beyond the porch and patio, the Recreation Director going to be much more fam- recycled, energy-efficient and non- lawn will feature plant varieties that ily-oriented than the facili- Bruce Kaufman presented ty we now have." THE RECORD-PRESS toxic materials to reduce drafts and require less watering and upkeep, a plans for much-needed control moisture. The design will help plus for the homeowner who prefers improvements to the pool's The planned work will WESTFIELD — On a lot at the to balance room temperatures, lead- low-maintenance landscaping, and build on upgrades that adult section, including began five years ago. A lap upper end of Prospect Street, in one of ing to swings of only 20 degrees and who would rather not use chemical- handicap ramps that the town's toniest neighborhoods, the savings on heating and cooling costs. laden fertilizers. Periodic blow-outs of pool, dive tank and slide extend into the water for area were added to the future of eco-friendly construction the home during construction will easier access, more seating may soon be coming into view. improve the indoor air quality by complex in 2002, and the "You can't really tell it's inside the pool, and a reori- bathrooms were renovated From the street, the two-story, eliminating airborne allergens and entation of the space to cre- 4,000-square-foot home, which will green, but everything in it is dust, adding to the creation of a more in 2003 and 2004. ate parallel deep and shal- The project will go out to include two master suites, 4Vt bath- organic oasis. low ends and allow more rooms and a large finished basement, going to have components "We want to make the environ- bid on July 24, and the people to stand. Jet pools, council is hoping to award a will look like many of the new resi- that are as energy efficient ment inside the house as natural as which are popular with dences that are springing up in afflu- possible," Golbin said in a conversa- contract at its meeting on many seniors, will be added Aug. 7. Officials are hoping ent areas. The innovation is in the as possible for the home- tion about the project at a local cafe.