NORTHEAST NEWS (251)
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware
Autobody News Northeast print edition is mailed to 8,000+ body shops monthly
Joseph Sullivan of Hatboro, PA, an 81-year-old Korean War-era veteran, is the first winner of a free auto body repair through CollisionMax’s “Metal of Honor Project.” His 2000 Dodge Caravan will be repaired and repainted at CollisionMax of Warminster.
CollisionMax of Warminster will repair Sullivan’s silver 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan, which has extensive damage on the passenger side and needs a complete paint job.
“This is fantastic!” Sullivan exclaimed on hearing the news from Rich Tornetta, CollisionMax’s marketing communications manager, that he had been selected. “This is a great thing you’re doing for veterans,” he said.
Police responded at 3:45 a.m. on June 3 after an alarm sounded at R&J Auto Body, 32 Calef Highway (Route 125) in Rochester, NH. After an investigation, officers discovered the business had been broken into and several vehicles owned by customers had been gone through, according to police.
Police arrested a man living in a motel in connection with the burglary at the body shop. Shawn Cote, 27, was charged with burglary, receiving stolen property, contempt and two counts of criminal mischief.
The local K-9 team responded and led police to a unit at the nearby Riviera Motel, where officers found evidence they say linked Cote to the incident along with stolen items from unrelated thefts.
Police said Cote damaged police property while he was in custody, and he also violated bail conditions from a previous arrest for receiving stolen property.
After refusing bail, Cote was transported to the Strafford County Jail in Dover. He was arraigned via video in 7th Circuit Court, Rochester District Court.
An Annapolis, MD, man was arrested May 25 after breaking into the storage shed of a Margaret Avenue auto body shop, according to Cpl. Jon Supko of the Annapolis Police Department.
Around 2:45 p.m. Samuel Benjamin Joyce III was seen breaking into Chesapeake Auto Body Inc. by William Kelley, the shop’s owner, Supko said.
The two men struggled before Joyce ran off, Supko said.
Kelly pursued and called police. Joyce grabbed a shovel as he ran, Supko said.
Police arrived and Joyce was taken into custody about five minutes later near the footbridge at South Cherry Grove Avenue, Supko said.
Joyce was charged with burglary, assault, theft and reckless endangerment, according to Cpl. Nicole Vaden of the city police.
Six Union County men were arrested on drug charges after police raided a Linden, NJ, auto repair shop, authorities said on May 8.
Inside Gifted Hands Complete Auto Repair, 1429 E. Elizabeth Avenue in Linden, officers recovered more than $3,000 in heroin; two loaded handguns—a .22 revolver and a .357 with the serial number defaced; and $3,400 in alleged drug proceeds, said Linden Police Capt. James Sarnicki.
The bust came after a two-month investigation into drug distribution by the Linden Police Narcotics Squad, working with officers in Roselle, Sarnicki said.
Arrested were: John D. Robinson, 58, and Erwin Herrera, 34, both of Linden; Darnell Dixon, 48, and Vernon Robinson, 32, both of Roselle; and James Palmer, 33, and Dwayne Hill, 54, both of Roselle Park.
Each suspect was charged with possession of a defaced firearm, possession of a firearm while committing a drug offense, distribution of heroin, and distribution within 1,000 feet of a school, police said.
CollisionMax Autobody and Glass Centers received a Sustainability Award from the Gloucester Township, NJ, Economic Development Corporation for its dedication to protecting the environment.
In 2012, the 11-shop auto body collision repair company recycled 400 tons of metal, plastic and paper, 2,600 gallons of antifreeze, paint and motor oil, 851 tires, and converted to water-based paints. In addition, the company hired a vendor to shred and recycle used bumper cores and they created an incentive program for employees to recycle aluminum for cash to be used for employee events.
CollisionMax operates 11 auto body repair shops Philadelphia and its suburbs in Pennsylvania and South Jersey, including one in the Blackwood section of Gloucester Township.
Rich Tornetta, CollisionMax’s marketing communications manager, accepted the award on behalf of the company.
“At CollisionMax, we realize that we’re more than just a company that fixes cars,” Tornetta said. “We’re a part of the community, and we want to be good citizens and neighbors.”
Nu-Look Collision of West Henrietta, NY, recently received the “2012 Bicycle Transportation Community Recognition Award” from the Rochester Bicycling Club. The award was presented to the company on May 16.
This award is given to a Rochester community organization that promotes bicycling for transportation or bicycle safety in the community. The Rochester Bicycling Club chose Nu-Look Collision because of their response to the tragic injury to their employee, Kevin Royston.
In June of 2012, Kevin Royston was riding his bicycle in Rushville and was the victim of a hit and run. He lost part of his leg as a result. He was employed as a body technician at Nu-Look Collision’s Monroe Avenue location. His passion is riding his bike, and now, with his prosthetic leg, he is learning to ride again.
A man working at a car repair shop in Elizabeth, NJ, was killed when an automobile fell off a lift and crushed him, authorities said.
Otto Benke, a shop employee, was pronounced dead at 7:48 p.m. at the J&L Auto Body Parts shop on South Front Street, police Capt. Todd Mooney said. Benke was working alone in the shop at the time, Mooney said.
Louis Sakol, the son of the shop owner, told police he went to the auto shop to give Benke a ride home, but found the worker pinned under the automobile on which he had been working. Sakol used a jack to lift the vehicle and pulled Benke out, Mooney said.
Mooney said it appears the vehicle fell off the lift, but police are still investigating.
Collision Care Auto Body Centers has opened its sixth location. A former BMW dealership, Collision Care of Marlton is located at 120 Route 73 in Marlton, NJ. The 35,000-square-foot shop will employ 15 people.
Mayor Randy Brown served as master of ceremonies for the shop’s grand opening on March 7.
“When Val Fichera first contacted me indicating his desire to move into the former BMW location, my first response was, ‘Why?’” said Brown. “At the time, the intersection of 70 and 73… was just tons of construction.
Credit to Val and his vision, the intersection and Collision Care of Marlton is now an upscale and welcome addition to the booming Marlton area, and his company’s history has proven that it will serve our community well.”
CollisionMax Launches 'Metal of Honor' Project to Thank 11 U.S. Military Veterans in PA and NJ
Written by staffCollisionMax Autobody and Glass Centers recently launched a new program to honor and thank U.S. military veterans by giving away 11 auto body repair jobs in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Eleven U.S. military service veterans in New Jersey and Pennsylvania will receive a free auto body repair over the next year through the Metal of Honor project sponsored by family-owned CollisionMax, an auto body repair business that operates in Philadelphia and suburbs in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The program kicked off on May 4 at a classic and custom car showcase at its Warminster shop in Warminster, PA. The event featured WMMR-FM radio personality Pierre Robert and “Minerva,” his custom 1972 Volkswagen bus that CollisionMax restored this year.
LIABRA Joined NYSACTA for Lobby Day in Albany, New York on April 16
Written by staffLong Island Auto Body Repairmen’s Association (LIABRA) members joined New York State Auto Collision Technician Association (NYSACTA) members for its annual Lobby Day held on April 16.
LIABRA members Ed Kizenberger, Hank Hancock and Ed Kizenberger Jr. visited the state capitol in Albany, NY, with more than 30 NYSACTA representatives from all over the state, along with lobbyist Pam Madeiros and staff from NYSACTA’s lobby law firm, Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
The Connecticut House of Representatives approved a bill (Substitute House Bill No. 5072) on May 7 designed to extend a ban on steering by auto physical damages appraisers or third-party insurance administrators (TPAs) to specific repair shops, including auto glass repair and replacement companies.
This bill requires initial communications between a glass claims representative or a third-party claims administrator of an insurance company doing business in Connecticut and the company's insured about automotive glass works or products to inform the insured about his or her right to choose where to have the work done.
It extends a ban on steering by automobile physical damage appraisers. By law, they cannot require or prohibit automotive appraisals or repairs to be performed in or by a specified facility or repair shop. The bill extends this prohibition to glass work performed by a glass shop.
