WEEHAWKEN – Jets linebacker Dylan Donahue waived his first court appearance yesterday for charges stemming from a wrong-way crash at the Lincoln Tunnel last month.

His Morristown-based attorney, Terry Webb, stood before a judge in Weehawken Municipal Court for less than one minute saying she received discovery in the case, before a new court date was set.

Authorities say Donahue was driving a green Dodge Charger on Feb. 26 when he drove around cones on the Weehawken side of the tunnel and proceeded into a tube against traffic. He allegedly crashed into a jitney bus and was charged with DWI.

The front-seat passenger of the vehicle, Suleiman Mahmood, who is reportedly a Passaic firefighter, was charged with two counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly intervening during Donahue’s arrest.

Mahmood, wearing a sweatshirt with his firefighter’s union patch on the front, was arraigned on the charges and asked the judge for some time to hire a lawyer. He and Donahue are expected in court again on April 11.

Webb declined to discuss the details of the case.

Fifteen people were on board the jitney when authorities say Donahue drove into the bus. Four of those passengers were treated at Hoboken University Hospital for minor injuries.

Donahue, 25, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2017 draft by the Jets, was a backup and special teams player during his four games with the team this past season. He suffered a season-ending injury to his elbow in the Jets’ Oct. 1 win over the Jaguars.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com.

WEEHAWKEN – Jets linebacker Dylan Donahue waived his first court appearance on Tuesday for charges stemming from a wrong-way crash at the Lincoln Tunnel last month.

His Morristown-based attorney, Terry Webb, stood before a judge in Weehawken Municipal Court for less than one minute saying she received discovery in the case, before a new court date was set. 

Authorities say Donahue was driving a green Dodge Charger on Feb. 26 when he drove around cones on the Weehawken side of the tunnel and proceeded into a tube against traffic. He allegedly crashed into a jitney bus and was charged with DWI.

The front seat passenger of the vehicle, Suleiman Mahmood, who is reportedly a Passaic firefighter, was charged with two counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly intervening during Donahue’s arrest.

Mahmood, wearing a sweatshirt with his firefighter’s union patch on the front, was arraigned on the charges and asked the judge for some time to hire a lawyer. He and Donahue are expected in court again on April 11.

Webb declined to discuss the details of the case.

Fifteen people were on board the jitney when authorities say Donahue drove into the bus. Four of those passengers were treated at Hoboken University Hospital for minor injuries.

Donahue, 25, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2017 draft by the Jets, was a backup and special teams player during his four games with the team this past season. He suffered a season-ending injury to his elbow in the Jets’ Oct. 1 win over the Jaguars.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.

 

 

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — As the defense tries to change the field of play, a highly recruited high school football player, charged with robbing a South Philadelphia Wawa convenience store at which his brother worked, has waived his preliminary hearing. His brother also appeared, as a co-defendant.

A Wawa employee testified while she and 24-year-old Quasir Wingate were in the office last July, a gunman with a hoodie pulled over his head walked in and pointed a gun at her head. Wingate opened the safe and handed the gunman more than $13,000.

Prosecutors allege the gunman was Wingate’s brother, then 17-year-old Isheem Young, a senior running back from Imhotep Charter, once recruited by Penn State and more than two dozen schools.

Defense lawyer Richard Klineburger is trying to punt the case from the Criminal Justice Center to juvenile court.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Gehrke says a judge will decide whether to “decertify.”

“That judge will determine whether he’s tried as an adult or whether he’ll go back to the juvenile system,” Gehrke said.

Wingate rejected a plea arrangement conveyed by the DA’s office to plead guilty and serve nearly two-years in prison.

Defense lawyer William Ciangalini says while the departing gunman told them to get down on their knees and count to 30, Wingate got up after ten seconds and immediately called 9-1-1.

A third man, the alleged getaway driver, agreed to plead guilty and serve nearly two years under house arrest.