Sal "Peezy" Pugliares was a born entertainer, his loved ones said, and the Connecticut native proved it by building a popular podcast and radio show that attracted fans from around the globe. But just as his audience and career were growing, Pugliares died suddenly earlier this month. 

The Middletown man died suddenly Sept. 5 at age 41, leaving behind his devoted wife and two young sons. In the days after his death, friends, fans and strangers around the world donated to a GoFundMe campaign benefiting the family he worked tirelessly to support. 

The fundraiser had collected $47,521 by Thursday afternoon, Sept. 10.

"It's been unbelievable to watch," organizer Jesse Frangione said. "It just goes to show you how many lives he touched. He had that way about him that people just felt comfortable around him."

Frangione and Peezy co-hosted the 2 Be Blunt podcast, which covers cannabis culture, as well as the Barely Awake Radio show.

Peezy launched 2 Be Blunt as a hobby podcast in 2019 and later expanded it with Frangione. The show attracted listeners around the world, with fans from Germany and Australia contacting Frangione in recent days to pay their respects. Dozens of social media posts from other countries also mourned Peezy’s death.

"It's sad because he would be so proud and so happy that he’s getting the recognition he deserves," his wife, Jessica Pugliares, said. "The outpouring of support is a testament to who he was."

Peezy and Jessica met on a cold Middletown night 15 years ago. By then, she said, his larger-than-life personality and music had already made him a local celebrity. He was a popular musician who performed rock music before turning to rap. 

"He’s always been extremely creative," she said. "Music was always his niche, and he could play any instrument. Give him an instrument, and he'll figure it out in a few minutes. He played drums, the guitar — all self-taught."

During the pandemic, Peezy left his longtime information technology job at Jarvis to pursue podcasting and music full-time, Jessica said.

"Sal was happiest behind a microphone," his obituary said. "Whether he was being blunt, making people laugh, sharing his thoughts, or making music, he was doing what he loved."

While he had fun, he never lost sight of why he worked so hard. 

“He did everything for his wife and his kids," Frangione said. "They didn’t want for anything. He would hustle to make it happen. That's the man he was."

Peezy had big plans for his family’s future. His shows were gaining traction, and he had lost about 60 pounds during the past year as he worked to improve his health for his family and career, his wife said. 

He was even published in High Times magazine, a lifelong dream of his, for a story on home growers. Click here to read the article. 

He also returned to music, releasing an album with his older son, Lorenzo, on Aug. 28. 

Jessica said her husband died of natural causes and that she believes he had a heart problem. She said the family does not plan to request an autopsy because Peezy would not have wanted one. They also plan to cremate him because, as in life, he did not want to be put in a box.

"It's sad he's gone," Jessica said, "but I'm so glad that my kids will never have to wonder how cool their dad was. Because it's all out there. They can see for themselves. He was a pretty amazing man."

Click here for more information on the GoFundMe

A man was in serious condition after he was found unresponsive in the Great South Bay off Tanner Park on Thursday evening, Suffolk County Police said.

The 48-year-old was clamming near the Copiague shore with his brother and two friends when he lost consciousness, police said.

A person walking by spotted him floating in the water around 5:09 p.m., entered the bay, and pulled him to shore, according to police.

CPR was started before Copiague Rescue paramedics arrived, continued lifesaving efforts, and took the man to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip in serious condition.

Suffolk County First Squad detectives are investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call 631-854-8152.

A landscaper died after falling from a work truck on Long Island on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 10, police said.

Officers were called to the area of Planting Field Road and Old Farm Road in East Hills around 2:12 p.m. for a report of a man lying in the roadway, according to Nassau County Police.

Investigators determined that the man had been working as a landscaper when he fell from a work truck and suffered fatal injuries, detectives said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police identified him as Jose Hernandez Argueta, 35, of Mineola.

The Nassau County Police Department’s Homicide Squad is investigating. No further details were immediately released.

A 79-year-old man died after being struck by a vehicle in Westchester County. 

The crash happened in the area of East Lincoln Avenue in Mount Vernon at around 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9, city officials confirmed on Thursday night, Sept. 10. 

Emergency personnel responded to the scene and found the 79-year-old pedestrian injured. He was taken to Jacobi Hospital, where he later died from his injuries, officials said. 

His identity is being withheld pending notification of his family. 

The driver remained at the scene, according to the city. No other injuries were reported.

Officials did not provide details about the circumstances leading up to the crash. The incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Mount Vernon Police Department Detective Division at 914-665-2510. Anonymous tips can also be sent by texting TIP411 (847411) and beginning the message with “MVPD.” 

This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates. 

Andre Raquan Riggs left behind one hell of a Google history for investigators to follow, prosecutors say.

Before a Maryland murder, investigators say he searched for his victim's address. Afterward, he looked up the value of a "1950 ten-dollar bill" like the collectible currency stolen from the Glen Burnie home.

More than four years later, Riggs, 28, of Middle River, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Sept. 9, in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court to first-degree murder and using a firearm in a felony crime of violence in the killing of Matthew Ponder, 27.

Ponder was killed during an overnight home invasion that prosecutors say Riggs and another person tried to keep off camera.

At approximately 2:24 a.m. on Aug. 31, 2022, officers and paramedics were called to Ponder's home in the 400 block of M Street Northeast in Glen Burnie, where they found him suffering from gunshot wounds.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A woman who was inside survived and told investigators that the intruders robbed them of several items, including "older and collectible" currency.

A 1950s $10 bill.

Wikimedia Commons/BrayLockBoy

Surveillance footage began filling in what happened around the home.

Two people wearing hooded sweatshirts were seen approaching the rear door, walking away and returning several times before putting a plastic bag over the rear surveillance camera, according to prosecutors.

Other cameras caught more.

Investigators tracked the pair arriving in a passenger vehicle, parking on a parallel street near the home and fleeing in the same vehicle after Ponder was killed.

Then came the digital evidence.

Prosecutors say it placed Riggs near Ponder's home when the crime happened and revealed the internet searches on either side of the murder: Ponder's address beforehand and the value of the old $10 bill afterward.

Riggs was arrested in Baltimore County in November 2023, more than a year after the shooting.

"This was certainly a terrifying home invasion that ultimately resulted in the tragic death of Mr. Ponder," Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said.

"Digital evidence played a critical role in identifying this defendant, who came to the home armed with a gun for the purpose of stealing valuables in the middle of the night."

Judge Robert Thompson scheduled sentencing for Thursday, Nov. 19.

Maryland is going its own way on vaccines.

The Maryland Department of Health released new statewide vaccine recommendations on Thursday, Sept. 10, setting guidance for children and adults as families head into another respiratory virus season.

The 2026-27 recommendations cover COVID-19, flu and RSV vaccines, along with routine immunizations including MMR and hepatitis B.

But the new guidelines don't come with any new mandates.

School vaccination requirements remain unchanged, state health officials said.

Instead, Maryland is using new authority granted under the Vax Act, which was signed into law this spring and allows the state's health secretary to establish official recommendations for immunizations, screenings and other preventive care.

The move comes as federal vaccine guidance continues to shift.

"We recognize Marylanders are facing back-to-school germs and the upcoming respiratory virus season, all while navigating shifting vaccine guidance from the federal government," Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani said.

Maryland's recommendations are based on guidance from independent medical organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

The state says the Vax Act also helps preserve access to vaccines by requiring insurers to cover routine state-recommended immunizations without out-of-pocket costs.

Pharmacists can also administer recommended vaccines without a prescription to anyone 3 and older.

Health officials stressed that the recommendations are intended to give residents and healthcare providers a clearer roadmap, not impose additional vaccination requirements.

Three children were inside a Northern Virginia home when a husband shot his wife, and then himself on Wednesday, police say.

Brandon Brown and Lavinia Brown, both 31, have been identified by the Fairfax County Police Department as the two people found dead inside a Centreville home.

First responders were called around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9, when a family member advised there had been a shooting in their home in the 6300 block of Sharps Drive, according to PFC Ingrid Palencia.

Upon arrival, they found the man and woman suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. Detectives also recovered a firearm from the residence.

Cartridge casings were recovered. None of the three children inside the home at the time of the shooting were physically injured.

A family member called 911. It is unclear how old the children are. They are being cared for by family members.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct autopsies to confirm the cause and manner of death.

The investigation is ongoing. More information is expected to be released. Check back for updates.

Rylee Eutzy should have had a lot more growing up left to do.

Instead, the Maryland teenager's family and friends are mourning her unexpected death at just 17, while a community that watched her grow up is quickly closing ranks around those she left behind.

Eutzy, who had ties to the Rockville High School community, was remembered as a daughter, a proud sister and a friend.

Photos shared following her death tell some of the rest.

There is Eutzy as a little girl, smiling beside her family. Years later, holding an AAU medal with a wide grin. In another, she's dressed up and laughing alongside a friend.

Snapshots from a life that wasn't supposed to end at 17.

News of Eutzy's death has since spread through the Rockville community, where support for her family has come quickly.

The Rockville High School Booster Club called on people to "unite and pull together" behind the Palmeter family while sharing a fundraiser created in Rylee's memory.

Jason Lomax, who organized the GoFundMe for the Palmeter family, had an even simpler message when he shared it publicly.

"This is a loss no family should suffer," he wrote. "We love you Rylee!"

That support has translated into more than words.

In roughly a day, 311 people donated $29,839 toward a $35,000 goal established to help Rylee's family handle funeral and other unexpected expenses following her death.

Rylee Eutzy

GoFundMe

Organizers said the money is intended to give her family room to grieve, remember Eutzy, and support one another without carrying the financial burden alone.

The fundraiser describes Rylee as someone who filled plenty of roles during her 17 years.

A daughter. A sister. A loved one. A friend.

And judging by the hundreds of people who have already stepped forward for her family, someone whose absence is being felt well beyond her own home.

Donations can be made through the family's GoFundMe.

"Please help us honor Rylee’s memory by supporting her family during this unimaginable loss," organizers wrote. "Thank you for your kindness, generosity, prayers, and for helping us surround her family with love during this heartbreaking time."

Police have revealed additional details about what sparked a more than two-hour lockdown and tactical search at Ramapo College on Thursday evening, Sept. 10.

Mahwah police were contacted by Ramapo College Public Safety at 5:46 p.m. after someone reported hearing a woman scream, “He has a gun,” near the Berrie Center, Capt. Michael Blondin said.

Officers established a perimeter and the campus was placed on lockdown because of the nature of the call, police said. Additional resources were requested as officers began searching the area.

Police eventually contacted the original caller, who had left the area out of concern, according to Blondin. She told officers she heard a woman yell, “He has a gun,” but did not see anyone with a weapon.

No other reports of an armed person were received, police said. Still, officers decided to clear all buildings in the immediate area out of an abundance of caution, deploying tactical teams to conduct the searches.

Officers also responded to several calls about suspicious circumstances on campus stemming from the initial report, authorities said. Those reports were also unfounded.

The searches were completed around 8 p.m. and the lockdown was lifted, police said. Investigators found there had been no active threat on campus and determined the original call to Public Safety had been made with good intentions.

Ramsey and Upper Saddle River police assisted Mahwah officers during the response.

Two motorcycle riders trying to get away from Clifton police were arrested in separate incidents just two days apart, authorities said.

The first began around 10:14 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 7, when Officers Benjamin Bressel and Stephen Aggi spotted a group of motorcycles being driven erratically near Crooks and Getty avenues, Clifton Police D/Lt. Robert Anderson said.

The motorcycles were passing vehicles and none had visible license plates, police said. When the riders stopped at a traffic light behind an uninvolved vehicle, the officers attempted a traffic stop, authorities said. The motorcycles accelerated in an attempt to flee.

One didn't get far: A 2024 Transpro immediately crashed into the vehicle stopped at the light, throwing rider Joel Cuadra, 39, of Paterson, from the motorcycle, police said. Cuadra told officers he wasn't injured and was arrested, according to Anderson.

At police headquarters, Cuadra refused to cooperate with the booking process, authorities said. He was charged with eluding and refusing to be fingerprinted. Police also found Cuadra had an active arrest warrant from another jurisdiction. Cuadra was taken to the Passaic County Sheriff's Office Corrections Hub pending his first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court.

Cuadra has a lengthy history in New Jersey's court system, with his name appearing across 13 pages of cases and traffic matters, records show. Recent charges include driving while suspended, having no liability insurance, speeding, reckless driving, and improper or unclear plates. 

In May 2025, Cuadra was also charged in separate cases with theft of property valued at less than $200 in Elmwood Park and theft of a motor vehicle valued at less than $75,000 in Englewood Cliffs, court records show. Earlier this year, he was charged in Hawthorne with driving while suspended, driving without ever being licensed, having no liability insurance, improper or unclear plates, failing to possess a driver's license, and throwing debris from a vehicle.

Two nights later, Bressel and Aggi encountered another group of riders around 7:36 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9, near Lakeview and Clifton avenues, police said.

The dirt bikes and mopeds were running red lights, traveling against traffic and committing other violations that posed a significant risk to the public, authorities said. Many of the riders weren't wearing helmets. The officers watched two riders enter the Aldi supermarket parking lot and approached them, police said.

Aggi detained one rider while the other, identified as Jasiel Silverio-Pujols, 23, of Paterson, took off on foot through the parking lot toward Lakeview Avenue, authorities said. 

Silverio-Pujols tried unsuccessfully to hop onto another motorcycle as a passenger before Bressel tackled him near Clifton and Lakeview avenues, police said. He was charged with resisting arrest by flight, obstruction of justice, endangering the welfare of another, and interfering with transportation. He was also issued several motor vehicle summonses.

Silverio-Pujols was processed at police headquarters and released with a summons to appear in Superior Court, as required by New Jersey court rules. The other rider, an adult man from Paterson, was issued motor vehicle summonses and released because he did not flee from police.