Man Charged In Causing Alarm, Lockdown At Toms River School: Police

TOMS RIVER, NJ -- A Pine Beach man has been arrested in connection with the lockdown at Washington Street School on Thursday, Toms River police announced Friday evening.

Stephen Wise, 59, whose last known address was Harbor Court in Pine Beach, was arrested Friday and charged with criminal trespass, said Ralph Stocco, spokesman for the Toms River Police Department.

He was arrested as a result of him being on the school property with no legitimate purpose, Stocco said. He is alleged to have been at the fence line of the school grounds.

“At no time was Mr. Wise near any children or the building,” Stocco said, but Wise's close proximity to the property caused alarm and caused the school staff immediately initiate a lockdown and notify police. Nearly 20 officers responded and cordoned off the area to search for the man, Stocco said.

Once police units secured the school grounds the status was downgraded to a shelter-in-place and school activities continued, he said. Because the man was not located, the police officers remained on scene with a large presence during school dismissal, which occurred at the normal time, officials said.

The next morning officers returned to the school grounds to maintain safety, Stocco said.

Wise was located by Officer Travis Seaman on March 4th at 2 p.m. at the Garfield Avenue Wawa, Stocco said. He was taken into custody and transported to police headquarters. Detective Roger Hull and the Criminal Investigation Bureau; Burglary West Unit interviewed Wise, which resulted in him being charged, Stocco said.

Wise told the investigators that he was “just passing by the school on his way to another location,” Stocco said. "After speaking to him we have no indication that he was up to any other type of criminal activity.”

Chief Mitchell Little would like to commend the school staff for their prompt actions taken Thursday, Stocco said.

"We all train together for instances such as this and, although there was never any direct danger to the children, we
were prepared," he said.

Wise is being held in the Ocean County Jail pending a future court date. His bail was set at $1,000, according to jail records.