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‘SKINNER ALERT’ SYSTEM SHOULD COVER THE STATE The following concerns the recent hit-and-run accident that killed Robert Wickham, a young man who had his whole life ahead of him. Everyone knows about the hit-and-run accident back on Nov. 14, 2003, that took the life of Lawrence R. Skinner Sr. on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge in Millville. These drivers who think nothing of hitting someone and leaving the scene need to be stopped and stopped now. They need to realize what they are doing to families of loved ones who have been taken away with no answers. We are not going to stand for this anymore. People who leave an accident knowing that someone has been seriously hurt or killed need to stop. Accidents happen, we all know that, but to leave the scene is totally unacceptable. Along with Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew, I want the legislation on the punishment for hit-and-run drivers and the alert system to move forward. Cumberland County already has the “Skinner Alert,” which has been named after my dad. We need to get this alert system rolling throughout New Jersey and get the punishment increased. The drivers involved in both hit-and-run accidents are still at large. Anyone with information on these two accidents, please call the police departments that are involved. To the Wickham family, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Hopefully, we can get answers for you and get the person that took your loved on from you off the streets. I know what you are going through, and maybe together, we can honor our loved ones. Drivers, please remember, accidents happen, and the right thing to do is to stop. Don’t drive away because it only makes things worse. Remember, it could happen to your love one, and how would you feel? Lisa A. Miles
MEMORIAL FOR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITHOUT MY DAD In Loving Memory of Lawrence R. Skinner, Sr. May 9, 1941 ~ November 14, 2003 Your life ended one year ago. Our lives continue on. But the pain will never go away. We think of you every day and night. We know you think of us too. We wish we could see you again. We know you can see us. We still don’t have any answers of why. We wish for the day that we get them. But the pain will never go away. You are in the arms of the angels now. We know one day we will meet again. Love and Miss You Dearly. Your entire family & friends
ONE YEAR SINCE HIT-AND-RUN OF LARRY SKINNER MILLVILLE – Sunday will mark the one-year anniversary of the hit-and-run accident that took the life of Larry Skinner and police are still seeking any information which will bring closure to this case and to his family. “I’m not sure how many months (it has been since the last tip), but it has been a while,” Lisa Miles, Skinner’s daughter, said. “We are desperately trying to get anyone with any type of information. It doesn’t matter to us why they waited so long to come forward, we are just urging anyone who saw or heard anything. “Give us the information and let the police figure out how valuable it is.” Skinner, a city resident, was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Nov. 14, 2003 at approximately 9:15 a.m. as he worked on a construction project on Brandriff Avenue bridge in Millville. The vehicle that struck Skinner was believed to an older model, large tri-axial dump truck and authorities have not yet been able to locate the driver of the truck or the vehicle involved in the accident. Police further describe the truck as having a red cab and the name on the side of the door is believed to be written on a slant. The dump portion of the truck is also believed to be either silver or gray in color. “I have accepted the fact my dad is gone, I can’t change that,” Miles said. “It has been an emotional roller coaster. There are questions of why and how it happened. All (the driver) had to do is get out of the truck.” The family is not looking to judge anyone, she said. “I know what it is doing to me and my family and it has to be 10 times worse for (the driver),” Miles said. “They have affected their family and the have to be going crazy knowing they hit someone.” This will be the second Christmas the family has celebrated without Skinner and, while the holidays are tough, it is the smaller things that make her father’s death hit home more, she said. Not buy a card (on Father’s Day) for other father figures. It might be something little (that reminds her of her dad), but you don’t think about it until he is gone. It is the little things that bother you.” With the help of the community (in Millville and Vineland) the family and friends of Larry Skinner have started a reward fund. They are currently offering $5,550 and fund will be active until May 29, 2005. “(In 2005) I will call to see if they want to continue, but I don’t want to hold them responsible forever because there is a possibility we may never find the person,” she said. If the tip leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for the accident, Miles said, the person will receive a Crime Stoppers reward, as well as the reward the community collected – a total of over $6,000. All tips will be anonymous and if it leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual, all the money will be turned over to Crime Stoppers and they will give out the combined reward. “Everyone has been great,” she said. “Police have been working so hard and trying everything possible. Still, they need someone to come forward and sit with them and talk to them. “We won’t hold judgment, we just want information that will help.” In addition to police efforts, the family has also distributed over 4000 fliers that describe the accident and the vehicle involved. “We are after knowing the person came forward and saying why they left,” Miles said. “Then we could move one.”
SKINNER SIGNAL AWAITS FIRST USE Police departments in Cumberland County have a tool to help in their investigations into hit-and-run accidents resulting in serious injury or death. Dubbed The Skinner Signal, police can now contact local radio and television stations with a good description of the fleeing vehicle following a serious accident and get everyone on the lookout for the hit-and-run offender. It has been up and running since early August, but has yet to be used. “Let’s hope that we don’t have to use it, but we are certainly glad to have it in place,” Freeholder Douglas Rainear said. “It gives law enforcement assistance in apprehending hit-and-run drivers, particularly where there are serious accidents.” Unfortunately, it took the death of 62-year old Millville resident Lawrence Skinner – the victim of a fatal hit-and-run accident a year ago Sunday. Skinner was doing construction work on the Brandriff Avenue bridge when he was struck by a dump truck. The vehicle took off and the driver has never been found. “It’s going to help out,” said Skinner’s daughter, Lisa Miles. “Once they get this on the radio, somebody could be on the road and the car can drive right by them. They can call 9-1-1. “Going through this and seeing what the detectives are going through, and the frustration they have, and the help they need from the community, this is one more step to help them.” It all began back in May, when Miles went to a county Traffic Safety Taskforce meeting and requested a system similar to Amber Alert, which helps in child abduction cases. Three months later, she got her wish. “If an accident does occur – and you have someone who is severely injured – at least they can have closure in finding the person that hit them,” Miles explained. Miles does not seek revenge in the case of her father’s death. She just wants answers. “I don’t care what punishment is going to be handed down. It doesn’t matter to me or my family,” she said. “That person will be off the street and we can find out what happened that day.” Her father’s death may have been nothing more than an accident, Miles stated. “That’s all this was – just an accident, but this person took it upon himself to just leave and think it’s not going to hurt anyone,” she said. “But, it did. You hurt my family, our friends and the police department.” For what it is, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department Traffic Safety Coordinator Williams Garrison said the Skinner Signal is affective. “Most hit-and-runs are minor accidents, so it has very limited use,” he explained. “But, it can be useful if the police department is going to use this tool. It’s another investigative tool.” The alert currently uses WSNJ, WMVB, WVLT and WMIZ (a Spanish station out of Vineland). All three local police departments and the state police have expressed interest in using this alert. FAMILY REFLECTS ON YEAR OF PAIN Hit-and-run death still unsolved – Lawrence Skinner Sr. was killed while working construction
James P. Quaranta – Staff Writer: The Daily Journal – Vineland,
NJ MILLVILLE – Lisa Miles will place flowers at the Brandriff Avenue Bridge Sunday to mark the one-year anniversary of the hit-and-run death of her father. Her life has been like “a roller coaster” ever since Nov. 14, 2003, when Lawrence Skinner Sr., 62, was struck and killed by a passing truck while doing construction work on the bridge. “I have good days and bad days,” Miles said. “I feel frustrated and angry that the individual is still out there. But I hope they’re living with it everyday.” Miles said there are still many unanswered questions about the accident. “Could it have been prevented? Were enough safety measures taken? Were there enough cones used at the construction site? Was the driver daydreaming, on a cell phone, under the influence? These are the things I think about constantly.” Miles said. This year Skinner’s birthday fell on Mother’s Day. “That was bad, but the worst was Father’s Day,” she said. “Before the accident I always looked to see if it was my father when I saw a dump truck driver. Now everytime I see a dump truck, I wonder if that was the driver. Everytime I see construction guys it reminds me of my dad. Every time I go to the bridge it’s hard.” But Miles still has hope that the driver will be identified and apprehended. “I truly feel this will be solved someday,” she said. “Someone will come forward or something will happen to give the detectives a break.” Miles praised Millville police and specifically Detective Kevin McLaughlin for efforts put into the ongoing investigation. “I couldn’t ask for more than he has done,” she said. Miles, her family and friends have distributed more than 4,000 fliers, and public contributions to a reward fund have passed the $5,000 mark. Crime Stoppers of Millville is also offering a reward of up to $1,000. Police Chief Ronald J. Harvey said the accident investigation is still active. The police department again issued a picture of what investigators believe the hit-and-run vehicle looks like. “We still have hope of finding the driver of the truck even though we’ve exhausted all of the leads so far,” Harvey said. “This remains an open and active investigation.” The Millville man’s death has resulted in the “Skinner Alert,” which went into effect three months ago. Similar to the national Amber Alert for abducted children, the system allows law enforcement agencies to authorize 9-1-1 dispatchers to immediately notify local radio stations of serious hit-and-run accidents so the public could become involved in the search for a fleeing driver. The Skinner Alert has not been used yet, according to Undersheriff James Elliott. Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew has proposed that the Skinner Alert by extended statewide, and has introduced a bill that would increase the penalties for hit-and-run fatalities to up to 10 years in jail and a $150,000 fine.
WOMAN CONTINUES QUEST FOR DRIVER WHO KILLED HER FATHER
Joyce Vanaman – Staff Writer: The Press, Atlantic City, N.J. MILLVILLE – Lisa Miles, of Vineland and Millville police Detective Kevin McLaughlin remain frustrated that almost a year has passed and the hit-and-run driver who killed her father, Lawrence R. Skinner Sr, still hasn’t been found Sunday will be the first anniversary of Skinner’s death. Around 9:15 a.m. Nov. 14, 2003, Skinner, 62, a heavy-equipment operator employed by Arbrisco, was working on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge when he was struck and killed. Miles said she and her husband, Robert, and 4-year-old son, Richard, will place flowers Sunday at the memorial sign erected by the county on the bridge. “I feel like I’ve been on an emotional roller coaster all year,” Miles told The Press on Wednesday night. “This person who killed my father is still out there and probably driving every day.” Pleas have been made by Miles for him to turn himself in. “It’s not the punishment that I care about, but I want to know what happened and bring closure to this,” she said. McLaughlin said it is believe that Skinner was struck by an older model tri-axle dump truck. He said the cab portion of the suspected truck is red, with the name on the side of the door written on a slant, and that the dump portion of the truck is silver or gray. “We believe that the accident occurred during the morning rush hour traffic and that someone or several people witnessed the actual accident,” McLaughlin said. Police are urging those individuals to come forward with any information by calling the detective division at 856-825-2112 or Crime Stoppers at 856-825-2182. Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the driver, and the Skinner family and friends are offering an additional $5,550 reward. One of the positive things that has taken place, according to Miles, is the activation in August of the “Skinner Signal” through the efforts of the county, the Sheriff’s Department, the 911 Communications and Training Center, local law enforcement agencies and State Police. William Garrison, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office’s traffic safety coordinator, previously explained that the alert works as follows: When a law enforcement agency has a hit-and-run accident that involves a serious or fatal injury, it notifies the 911 Communication Center, which then notifies other police departments and area radio and television stations. They will then broadcast information on the vehicle requesting people to notify 911. Miles said that Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew, D-Cumberland, Cape May and Atlantic, has introduced similar legislation on the state level, and she is hopeful that it will be adopted.
SURVIVOR’S DEVOTION SPURS HIT-RUN CRACKDOWN Hit-and-run fatalities are the result of cowardice or indifference on the part of motorists who flee accident scenes, compounding the depth of pain endured by families who lose loved ones in such highway tragedies. This is a reality all across New Jersey, and is a reality the family of Lawrence Skinner Sr. deals with every single day. Skinner was the 62-year old Millville man who was killed by a passing truck while doing construction work on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge on Nov. 14, 2003. Due to a lack of eyewitnesses, the driver of the truck that struck Lawrence has not been found. This tragic loss and others like it caused Lawrence’s daughter, Lisa Miles, to seek harsher punishment for people who leave accident scenes, and to establish a better system for catching such brazen or callous motorists. Lisa’s devotion to making the state of New Jersey safer and more just brought her to my office in Millville, prompting me to craft legislation to combat hit-and-run drivers. One of my measures, AJR-107, would direct the attorney general to study and implement various public awareness strategies for apprehending hit-and-run drivers. I learned a great deal from the Cumberland County Freeholders and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department, who are working on deploying a promising methodology called the Skinner Alert System. It works in much the same manner as the Amber Alert system for child abduction cases. Through the Skinner Alert system, county 9-1-1 centers would notify local media outlets to broadcast descriptions of vehicles fleeing from accident scenes. Public alerts can be one of the most effective ways to engage citizens as the eyes and ears of law enforcement, serving the quickly assist police in locating a fleeing driver. A second measure I have introduced, A-2903, would make hit-and-run fatalities a second-degree crime punishable by up to 10 years in jail and/or $150,000 in fines if the driver was aware that he or she had hit someone and intentionally left the scene. Currently, hit-and-run fatalities are considered third-degree offenses. These crimes carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison with fines up to $15,000. I am optimistic that the entire Legislature will support these measures, bringing uncaring drivers to justice and bringing peace to grieving families. Lisa Miles and her family have worked vigorously to prevent their pain and loss from happening to other families. They have displayed leadership and selflessness. Cumberland County officials displayed true leadership by responding with an alert system before any county in the state. Our tragedy may very well prove to be a catalyst for better laws throughout the entire state of New Jersey. It is my hope that a state-wide Skinner Alert system, modeled after Cumberland County’s system, coupled with stiffer penalties will cause all drivers to think twice before leaving a motor vehicle accident scene. Thank you, Lisa; your dad would be very proud. Jeff Van Drew is an assemblyman from the 1st District
COUNTY HIT-AND-RUN ALERT TO START IN AUGUST BRIDGETON – A system to alert law enforcement agencies and the general public to serious hit-and-run accidents anywhere in the county is expected to be in operation by next month, officials said Monday. The Cumberland County Hit & Run Alert is to be used only for incidents within the county. Emergency communication centers in other counties have agreed to relay calls from border areas, however. The system also will be known as the “Skinner Signal” in memory of Lawrence Skinner, a 62-year-old Millville resident killed Nov. 14 in a gruesome hit-and-run crash. A dump truck struck Skinner as he was helping repair the Brandriff Avenue bridge in Millville. Police quickly released an alert for the vehicle, but the driver has not been found. Wade MacFarland supervisor of the county’s 9-1-1 emergency communications system, presented a final draft version of the alert system Monday night at a meeting of the county’s Traffic Safety Task Force. The next step for the policy come July 28, when it will be reviewed by area police chiefs at a meeting in Vineland. Then officials will set a date to test the new system. MacFarland stressed that alerts are to be activated within a short time of an accident and last no longer than two hours. Local and county authorities also are being left with discretion on whether to initiate an alert. The criteria include that the accident resulted in serious injury or death. The system calls for police to fax the county 9-1-1 center with information on an accident. The emergency dispatch center then faxes the information to other law enforcement agencies and to local radio and television stations. Freeholder Director Douglas Rainear said he hopes the system encourages public involvement. “I think there’s probably hesitancy upon people to call and report and accident.” He said. A bill to start a similar statewide alert system was introduced last month in the N.J. Assemby. William Garrison, a traffic safety specialist with the county Sheriff’s Department, said the Skinner Signal builds on law enforcement procedures now in place. “The only thing that’s really different with this is notifying the radio stations,” Garrison said. Task force member Dave Mander, a Bridgeton police sergeant, believes the new system will reduce miscommunication. “When this gets transmitted from one agency to another, my agency would fax it to the 9-1-1 center and the 9-1-1 center to everyone else, Mander said. “So when it gets put out to the local agencies, they’ve got an actual fax right in front of them that they are reading from.”
ANONYMOUS TIP NEEDED TO FIND THE DRIVER On top of the $1,000 from Millville Crimestoppers, the communities of Millville and Vineland have pledged more than $5,000 in reward money for the arrest and conviction of the driver who struck and killed Lawrence R. Skinner Sr. Larry was working on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge November 14, 2003, when he was killed by a hit-and-run driver. The story has been in the newspaper numerous times and letters have been written to the editor pleading to the driver or anyone with information to come forward. This letter is directed to anyone who may have information but is afraid to come forward with it. If you know anything about that day or heard something about that day, don’t be afraid to come forward. No one will question why you waited eight months. We have a total of more than $6,000 in reward money waiting for the tip that will take the guilty person off the street and leave him or her unable to hit another person. When you call the Millville Crimestoppers and give your tip, you remain anonymous. If your tip leads to an arrest and conviction, the reward money will be yours with no one knowing who you are. Sometimes people feel like they might be in trouble because they did not come forward sooner. That is not the case here at all. It does not matter why, we just want the driver taken off the streets. We want the community protected from a driver like this. Please help us to stop what happened to Larry from happening to someone else. It has been a long eight months and some days are easier than others. Life goes on, but the pain does not go away. That is why we need your help. Please, anyone with information contact the Millville Crimestoppers at 856-825-2182 or the Millville Detective Division at 856-825-2112 Lisa A. Miles
STATE MAY GO ON ‘SKINNER ALERT’ June 23, 2004 MILLVILLE – A deadly, unsolved hit-and-run accident here has inspired legislation that would increase penalties for motorists who flee the scene of a fatal crash and could create a statewide alert system to catch them. Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew, D-1, unveiled the proposed laws Tuesday while standing at the foot of the Brandriff Avenue Bridge. That’s where Lawrence Skinner Sr., 62, of Millville was killed on Nov. 14 when he was hit by a truck while doing construction work. One of Van Drew’s proposals is based on the “Skinner Alert,” which Cumberland County law enforcement agencies plant to launch soon. The notification system, similar to the Amber Alert concept for abducted children, calls for all local radio stations to be immediately notified of a serious hit-and-run so they can broadcast the details and get the public involved in searching for a fleeing driver. “I’ve asked the attorney general to review all possible options of notifications, including radio, television and other media outlets,” Van Drew said. The other proposed legislation would stiffen punishment for drivers who leave the scene of a deadly hit-and-run accident. It would double the maximum prison time to 10 years, and increase the maximum fine from $15,000 to $150,000. Van Drew drafted the legislation after speaking with Skinner’s daughter, Lisa Miles of Vineland, who has conducted a tireless campaign to identify the hit-and-run driver who killed her father. Miles became emotional Tuesday while talking about the accident. “It’s been seven months since the accident, and last week was Father’s Day,” she said. “It has been difficult but I’m thrilled that we’re moving as fast as we are. “I thought we would start on the county level, but now everyone is on the bandwagon. In addition to helping families, this will help police departments identify hit-and-run drivers a lot faster. Perhaps something good can come of something bad.” Cumberland County Freeholder Louis Magazzu commended Miles for her efforts. “You are honoring your father’s memory,” he said. Van Drew noted his legislation anticipates that accidents happen, but he also said drivers involved in serious crashes must act responsibly. “Under this proposal, you would be required to stop and see if you can help, and if you fail to do so the penalties will be severe,” he said. “Leaving a scene with serious injury is a crime and should be treated as such. Lisa will never get her dad back, but maybe we can keep if from happening again.” In the case of Skinner’s death the problem for police is a lack of witnesses. “To this day, we’re doing whatever we can to solve this case,” said Police Chief Ronald Harvey. “A lot of leads didn’t pan out and the leads are exhausted. Hopefully, the rewards being offered will spur someone to come forward, perhaps the driver of the truck.”
SKINNER SIGNAL & MORE MILLVILLE - Not only are there plans to introduce a statewide alert system after hit-and-run accidents, the idea is to also increase penalties against drivers responsible for leaving the scene. At a press conference near the Brandriff Avenue bridge Tuesday, First District Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew was joined by county officials who have begun implementing Cumberland's own Skinner Signal - an alert system designed to use the 9-1-1 center to broadcast breaking information about a serious hit-and-run accident in the county to local radio stations. "We need to make it clear that this is totally unacceptable," said Van Drew. "People need to pay for their actions. Anyone can be involved in an accident, but no one should ever be allowed to knowingly take a life and then leave the scene of the crime." Legislation would increase the penalty from a maximum of five years in prison with fines up to $15,000 to a maximum of 10 years with up to $150,000 in penalties, according to Van Drew. The location for the announcement was the site of a fatal accident in November that killed Millville resident Lawrence Skinner, a construction worker who died at the hands of a hit-and-run driver while working on the bridge. Police are still looking for a red semi with a dump truck style trailer that struck Skinner on Nov. 14. Skinner's daughter, Lisa Miles, began the crusade by contacting county officials to develop the Skinner Signal. Police have little information to go on in their search for the driver. There were four other construction workers there that day, according to Miles. One, of them was injured after Skinner's body was thrown by the vehicle, she explained. Another was 800 feet away and not looking up when the accident occurred. That description is all they have, but Miles hopes something will happen. "Right now, this guy is still driving this truck and could be going over this bridge every day," Miles said as she pointed to the area of her father's accident. "We can't ask police to pull tips out of their hats. Hopefully, we can get this person off the streets." Millville Police Chief Ronald Harvey said his officers continue to actively investigate the accident, but leads are running dry. "No (physical) evidence was left at the scene, Harvey said. "My officers are doing whatever they can. We have exhausted a lot of the leads we do have. Hopefully the driver will come forward and own up to what he did." At first, authorities did not believe the driver knew what happened, but recent reports indicated that the driver did in fact stop his truck momentarily before leaving the scene. "Nobody actually really knows what happened other than the driver of the truck," said Harvey. "One of the biggest pluses we can have is if this driver has a conscience one day and has not slept since this accident." The idea behind Van Drew's legislation is to take this a statewide initiative. "There is nothing we can ever do to bring her dad back, but what we can do is make sure the laws are better," said Van Drew. "I hope that we still will catch the individual who was responsible for this." Miles just wants answers. "I'll forgive (the driver) for that accident, but not for leaving the scene," she said.
BILL WOULD MAKE FATAL HIT-AND-RUNS A SERIOUS CRIME MILLVILLE – At a news conference Tuesday near the site where Lawrence Skinner Sr. was killed in November, Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May,Cumberland and Atlantic, announce that he is sponsoring legislation that makes knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death a crime of the second degree. Currently, it is a third degree crime. It was Lisa Miles, of Vineland, whose father, Skinner, was killed while working on an area bridge, who inspired the legislation, Van Drew said. “Anyone can be involved in an accident, but no one should ever be allowed to knowingly take a life and then leave the scene of the crime,” Van Drew said. “This legislation (A2903) would increase the penalty from a maximum of five years in prison with fines up to $15,000 to a maximum of 10 years with up to $150,000 in penalties.” Van Drew said another bill, AJR107, would direct the attorney general to study the feasibility of using various public awareness methods, such as broadcast media, to apprehend hit-and-run drivers, similar to an alert system Cumberland County currently is working on. This type of system needs to be introduced all across New Jersey, the assemblyman said. Mayor Jim Quinn, who welcomed the group, said he is pleased to have a couple of radio stations that will participate in what is being called the “Skinner Signal.” He commended Miles for her efforts and pledged his cooperation. “The community needs to be alert and call police with information,” Miles said. She cited the cooperation of the Millville police, but said, as did Police Chief Ronald J. Harvey, that the police had no physical evidence with which to work. Even the initial description of the truck was incorrect based on a later eyewitness report, she indicated. Miles said that in addition to the Crime Stoppers reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the offender, she has pledges of $5,000 more. “I don’t know why the driver went through the work zone, and it’s still not safe working on the bridge,” Miles said. “Whatever punishment he gets will not bring my dad back. I can forgive an accident, but not leaving the scene.” Freeholder Director Douglas Rainear said the details are being worked out for the Skinner Signal. The plan is for a person seeing a vehicle involved in a serious or fatal hit-and-run accident to contact 911 Communications Center, which would then notify other police departments and area radio and television stations. They would broadcast information on the vehicle requesting people to notify 911 if they see it. Rainear said that there is overwhelming support for the signal, which he said should be in place in the next two months. Williams Garrison, traffic safety coordinator in the office of Cumberland County Sheriff Mike Barruzza, said that the process is very close to being done, but he was reluctant to pinpoint a specific date. “We have to work out the details and run a test,” said Garrison, who is coordinating the project with Wade McFarland, a supervisor at the 911 Communications and Training Center. “There is no greater way you can honor your father than what you are doing,” Freeholder Louis Magazzu told Miles. “Accidents can happen, but there is no reason to leave the scene of an accident.” “My officers are taking a very special interest in this case, and it will remain open until the offender is apprehended,” pledged Harvey. He noted that it is unfortunate that none of the leads have panned out, and he expressed the hope that the reward or the offender’s conscience will make him come forward.
SKINNER ALERT BILL COMING MILLVILLE – Cumberland County’s proposed Skinner Signal is getting statewide interest. First District Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew is expected to announce legislation today which would call for stricter penalties against those who leave the scene of an accident and follow the idea of county officials to notify the media immediately after a hit-and-run accident. “I believe this is a model for the rest of the state and is certainly an issue we should research and discuss,” Van Drew said Monday. “We do have some legislation in place, but I believe we can be more effective. We need to make it clear how serious it is when you hit someone and knowingly leave the person to die and don’t own up to your mistake. I think that’s serious business.” The county’s Traffic Safety Task Force, which formed after several serious accidents in 2003, has proposed starting an alert system to notify residents of serious hit-and-run accidents via radio and seek help in finding the fleeing vehicle. To be dubbed The Skinner Signal – in honor of Millville resident Lawrence Skinner, a construction worker who was killed last November while working on the Brandriff Avenue bridge in Millville – this system would have the county 9-1-1 center notify radio stations WSNJ, WMVB, and WVLT with any information on serious hit-and-run accidents to get the public on the lookout for these drivers. Today’s announcement, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. will be made along that bridge. Skinner’s daughter, Lisa Miles and other local and county officials have been invited to attend. “Everybody has been moving so quickly,” said Miles. “It seems like it’s starting to pick up a lot faster than I expected. “It’s not going to change what happened to my dad. Unfortunately, there wasn’t something like this for my dad’s accident, but maybe we can help another family.” Police are still looking for a red semi with a dump truck style trailer that struck Skinner on Nov. 14. At first, authorities did not believe the driver knew what happened, but recent reports indicated that this driver did in fact stop his truck momentarily before leaving the scene. Miles called on Freeholder Director Doug Rainear a month ago to propose the idea. It quickly moved forward and is expected to become a reality on the county level by the end of the summer. “I think it’s great legislation,” Rainear said of Van Drew’s proposal. “In this day and age, with so much communication technology, it certainly aides the police in finding people who are involved in hit-and-run accidents. Given the increase of hit-and-run accidents throughout the county, we are thrilled to see legislation introduced at the state level.”
VINELAND WOMAN CONTINUES QUEST TO FIND FATHER’S KILLER MILLVILLE – Lisa Miles, of Vineland, will make a Father’s Day visit Sunday to the Brandriff Avenue Bridge with her husband, Robert, and her almost 4 year-old son, Richard Lawrence. “I’ll place three red roses by the sign marking the spot where a hit-and-run driver killed my father on Nov. 14,” Miles said. Her father, Lawrence R. Skinner., 62, a heavy-equipment operator employed by Arbrisco, was working on the bridge when he was struck and killed some time between 9:06 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Nov. 14. There are two signs on the bridge that were placed by Miles and a sign erected by the county. “My dad was great,” said Miles, who has a brother Lawrence R. Skinner, Jr., who lives in Michigan, and a stepbrother, Steven Phillips, of Millivlle. “Dad loved his work and he loved NASCAR racing,” said Miles. “He would take me to the Bridgeport Speedway. He was an avid racing fan and would have been very happy to have a raceway in Millville. “Dad was also the kind of man who did things for others but didn’t want any fuss mads,” Miles said. On Sunday, the congregation of the Rosenhayn United Methodist Church, of which he was a member, dedicated the Larry Skinner Memorial Walkway. Miles said her father had done a lot of volunteer work on the walkway. Although the accident took place seven months ago. Miles, purchasing manager for the Newfield National Bank in Vineland, is still circulating fliers with her father’s picture, throughout the area in the hope that they will jog someone’s memory. “A witness described the vehicle as having a dark red cab with a stainless steel or silverlike body,” Miles said. “He said that is was an older model, tri-axial dump truck, with slanted lettering on the door.” “At first, we thought the driver might not have realized that he hit somebody, but a witness said he saw the truck stop and the driver looked out the window, then drove away,” Miles said. Miles said that she has worked closely with the Millville Police Department, particularly Detective Kevin McLaughlin. “Everybody has been wonderful to me, but there has been no new leads,” she said. Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the driver. Miles says a friend of her father’s, Ed Williams, has been raising money through pledges in order to increase the reward. “In the hopes of getting information, we have $5,550 pledged. If a tip leads to the arrest and conviction, that person will get this money as well as the Crime Stoppers’ reward,” Miles said. Miles is hoping and praying that someone will come forward with information. She said that when her son hears her talking about trying to find the driver, he’ll say, “When we find the driver, Pop Pop Skinner will come home.” How do you explain to a child that Pop Pop won’t be home Sunday for Father’s Day or anytime?
MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO LARRY SKINNER SR. DEERFIELD TWP. – On Sunday, friends and relatives will gather at the Rosenhayn United Methodist Church to commemorate the life of Lawrence R. Skinner, Sr. Skinner, a Millville resident, was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Nov. 14 as he worked on a construction project on Brandriff Avenue in Millville. The vehicle that struck Skinner was believed to a large tri-axle sand carrier and authorities have not yet been able to locate the driver of the truck or the vehicle involved in the accident. Rev. Linwood Sharp said when the congregation learned Skinner, who had been a member of the church for approximately four years, was killed by a hit-and-run driver they decided they wanted to do something to honor his memory. “He was a quite sort of fellow and he never wanted praise for things he did.” He said. “Once he was killed, we felt this dedication would be a way to thank him for all he did for the church.” Sharp said Skinner was responsible for getting the church’s parking lot black topped and for putting in a walkway on the side of the church, which he also lined with bushes. “You don’t see something like this everyday,” he said. “He was someone who was willing to incur the cost of the projects and the work (involved in completing them) in order to make our church better. “That is something you don’t see so much in churches anymore.” The congregation plans on dedicating the walkway, which Skinner built, at the beginning of their service on Sunday. They have also purchased a black marble bench, which reads “Larry Skinner Memorial Walkway.” And placed it along side the pathway. “We had ordered this bench a while ago and we just had it put in this week,” he said. “That is why the dedication ceremony is now. “I have some words I want to say about Larry and I hope the people will gather outside around the bench while we dedicate it.” Skinner’s daughter, Lisa Miles, said the family is very touched by the thoughtfulness of this dedication. “It is an honor,” she said. “He did a lot of work over there and I did not know that until he passed away. “This really means a lot because my dad did a lot and asked for nothing in return.” Sharp and the congregation of Rosenhayn United Methodist Church are inviting anyone who had a connection with Skinner to attend the dedication during the 9 a.m. worship service. The church is located on Morton Avenue in Rosenhayn. Also, Miles is asking anyone with information on her father’s accident to contact Millville Crimes Stoppers at 856-825-2182. All calls are anonymous. “With the help of the community (in Millville and Vineland) we have started a reward fund,” she said. “As of Thursday we have $5,550 and this may increase. “We have decided on a one year agreement and if during that time a tip comes through, I will go back to the sponsors and collect the funds,” she said. If the tip leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for the accident, Miles said, the person will receive the Crime Stoppers reward, as well as the reward the community collected. “It has been a few months since the last information came in and we are trying to poll the community and see if anything is out there,” she said. “Any information will help, no matter how little it may seem.”
COUNTY TO ACTIVATE HIT-AND-RUN ALERT BRIDGETON – Plans are under way for a Cumberland County Hit-and-Run Alert – dubbed the “Skinner Signal” – in memory of Lawrence R. Skinner Sr., of Millville, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver while working on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge in Millville on Nov. 14, 2003. Attempts by Skinner’s daughter, Lisa Miles, of Vineland, and the Millville Police Department to locate the driver have been unsuccessful. Miles approached Freedhold Director Douglas Rainear about an alert. She said that he took her to a traffic safety meeting where she met William Garrision, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Traffic Safety Coordinator. Though no starting date has been set, Garrison and Wade MacFarland, a supervisor at the 911 Communications and Training Center, are working with the three police departments in the county, the New Jersey State Police and area radio and television stations on the project. Garrison explained Wednesday how the alert will work. “When a law enforcement agency has a hit-and-run accident that involves a serious or fatal injury, it will notify the 911 Communications Center, which then will notify the other police departments and area radio and television stations. They will then broadcast information on the vehicle requesting people to notify 911 if they see the vehicle. “I believe that this is a good thing because it engages the public so that the police departments have more eyes in locating the vehicle.” Garrison said. “This is just another investigative tool that may be used by the police departments.” “Everyone whom I have approached has been very cooperative and wants to see this alert work,” Garrison added. “It is similar to the ‘Amber Alert’ for missing children, but more simple to operate and is just within Cumberland County,” Garrison said.
PLEASE, STOP WRITING ON THE MEMORIAL SIGN May 9 would have been my father’s 64th birthday, and when I went out to the Brandriff Avenue Bridge that day to place balloons on his memorial sign, once again someone wrote a trucking company’s name on the sign. This is the second time someone took it upon himself or herself to ruin this sign that was placed in my father’s memory. If you have any information about this company that might be important, take it to the Millville detectives. If you are just writing on the sign to be funny, please stop. Besides memories of my dad, that sign is all I have left. That sign represents a lot. It is a constant reminder that a great man’s life was ended on that bridge by someone who was and still is irresponsible. It also shows how much people care. When I asked the county for something to be placed at the bridge, I did not expect something to go out there so quickly. I want the person doing this to realize that you are disrespecting my family and my father’s memory. For almost two years, I have been trying to get my questions answered and get this person who took my father’s life to step forward. It has been a long two years, and if the person writing on this sign has information that could help, please call the Millville Crimestoppers at 856-825-2182 or Millville detectives at 856-825-2112. A community reward ($5,550) and Millville Crimestoppers reward ($1,000) are still available. You never know, your information may be the right tip that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who took my father’s life. Please put yourself in my shoes, if you lost a loved one so tragically, would you want someone writing on their memory? If anyone else has any information or might have heard something from someone, please call and provide the information. My father always helped people who were in need without hesitation. Come forward. It’s the right thing to do. Lisa A. Miles
PLEASE, DON’T WRITE ON MY DAD’S MEMORIAL Last Sunday, May 9, would have been my father’s 63rd birthday. When I went to the Brandriff Avenue bridge to put three pink roses by Lawrence R. Skinner Sr.’s memorial sign that was put up by the county. I was appalled to see the words on the sign. Someone wrote a trucking company’s name on the sign with a permanent marker. I will not pass judgement against anyone, but if the person that wrote on my father’s sign is trying to say something about the accident, or may know something, then that person should call detectives at the Millville Crime Stoppers and tell them. I now have to figure out how to remove the writing from the sign without ruining it. I am grateful to everyone who has called in to the detectives and given information to help with my dad’s case. But, writing on a sign, the only thing we now have to remember my dad by, was uncalled for. There are other ways to help and make known what you may know. I understand people are trying to help, but think about how you would feel if someone did that to something that meant a lot to you. That sign means everything to my family and me. Please, next time pick up the phone not a permanent marker. Lisa Miles
MEMORIAL FOR 1ST BIRTHDAY WITHOUT MY DAD In Loving Memory of My Dad Lawrence R. Skinner, Sr. May 9, 1941 ~ November 14, 2003 If tears could build a stairway, And memories a lane, I’d walk right up to Heaven And bring you home again. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY
RESIDENTS RAISE REWARD FOR INFO ON FATAL HIT-AND-RUN MILLVILLE – A dozen local residents have pledged $5,550 toward a reward find that aims to help solve a hit-and-run accident that killed a city man last year on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge. Lawrence Skinner Sr., 62, died Nov. 14 after he was hit by a truck while working on the bridge. The driver never stopped. Since then, Skinner’s daughter Lisa Miles has conducted a campaign to find the hit-and-run driver. “There are no more leads coming through for Dad’s case, so we came up with the idea for a reward,” said Miles, a Vineland resident. “We’ve had pledges from $100 to $1,000. These individuals who live in Millville and Vineland have agreed to be obligated for those sums for one year. “Some knew my dad, and others just wanted to do something after reading about what happened to him,” Miles said. The new reward is in addition to the $1,000 offered by the Crime Stoppers program for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the person responsible for the accident. Miles said the additional reward money would be distributed by the Crime Stoppers organization to ensure that any tipsters remain anonymous. “Sometimes money makes people talk,” Miles said. “Maybe the person driving the truck told someone else, and that someone will come forward to collect the reward.” Police think the hit-and-run vehicle had a dark red cab and a stainless steel or silver-like trailer. The deadly crash prompted local officials to commit to creating “The Skinner Signal.” Law enforcement authorities in Cumberland County are working to institute a system through which they’ll provide immediate information about serious hit-and-run accidents to local radio stations. The plan, similar to the Amber Alert, aims to increase the likelihood that someone will see a hit-and-run vehicle and get that information to authorities.
VINELANDER PUSHES FOR HIT-AND-RUN RADIO ALERTS Lisa Miles doesn’t want others to feel the pain of losing a loved on in a hit-and-run accident. That’s why she suggested law enforcement officials provide Cumberland County’s three radio stations with immediate information when serious hit-and-run crashes occur. “By getting the information out to the radio stations as soon as possible,” Miles said, “we can increase the likelihood that someone will see the hit-and-run vehicle and call police.” The Vineland woman’s father, 62-year-old Lawrence Skinner Sr, was killed Nov. 14 when he was struck by a truck on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge in Millville. The driver left the scene before police arrived. The notification system under consideration, named “The Skinner Signal,” would be modeled after the nationwide Amber Alert authorities use to help find missing children. Bill Garrison, traffic safety coordinator for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department, said the concept is in its preliminary stages. “It does not appear that hard to do, and it can work,” Garrison said, noting local poice departments haven’t been approached yet. Millville Police Chief Ronald J. Harvey said he would support the Skinner Signal. “It’s a positive concept as long as the information is accurate,” he said. Meanwhile, police have made no arrests in the crash that killed Skinner, despite repeated appeals to the community for help. “I don’t want any other family to go through this,” Miles said.
HIT-AND-RUN ALERT COMING – OVER RADIO STATIONS BRIDGETON – The county’s Traffic Safety Task Force wants to use the success of the nationwide Amber Alert system on a local level in an effort to assist law enforcement agencies investigating hit-and-run accidents. During Monday’s meeting of county and municipal officials, it was determined that notifying local radio stations immediately following a severe hit-and-run accident could work as well as the Amber Alert, which was designed to assist in child abduction cases. To be dubbed The Skinner Signal – named after Millville resident Lawrence Skinner, a construction worker who was killed last November while working on the Brandriff Avenue bridge in Millville – this system would have the county 9-1-1 center notify WSNJ, WVLT and WMVB with any information on serious hit-and-run accidents to get the public on the lookout for these drivers. “This is just going to help get it out to the public faster,” said Wade MacFarland, a supervisor with the county 9-1-1 center. Freeholder Director Doug Rainear said he believed this could be in place within two months. “It just makes sense to me to use the radio stations to use all of our citizens to bring drivers (in hit-and-run accidents) to justice and to be held accountable for their actions,” Rainear said. “It’s something that costs nothing but a phone call and it hopefully will allow for closure to victims and families of hit-and-run accidents.” Rainear said he felt this was something that could catch on in areas outside Cumberland County. Skinner’s daughter, Lisa Miles, attended Monday’s meeting with hopes of not only helping find out who fatally struck her father almost six months ago, but also to start something that could help others. “If information can be broadcast on the radio and if listeners could pick up cell phones and call it in, it at least helps the police department,” said Miles. “Somebody in the area might have seen the accident. Maybe we can help other families not go through what has happened to my family.” Police are still looking for a red semi with a dump truck style trailer that struck Skinner Nov. 14. At first, authorities did not believe the driver knew what happened, but recent reports indicated that the driver did in fact stop his truck momentarily before leaving the scene.
HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY You are still out there, nowhere to be found. Aren’t you tired by now? I mean five months of not getting a good night’s sleep, thinking everyday about Nov. 14, 2003. Are you wondering how did things go so wrong, trying to figure out how to make things right? Well, welcome to my world. The only difference is I lost someone special in my life – my dad. You took that someone special in my life away – my dad. I’m putting up fliers and signs by the Brandriff Avenue Bridge. I’m going on television and local radio stations, speaking to reporters from different newspapers, just trying to make things right. But you continue to play hide and seek. Do me a favor, go see my fliers, or even go back to the bridge and see my signs. Look real hard because the picture on them is that someone special who was in my life – my dad. While you are at the bridge, go to the spot where you hit him and see the sign that has been put up in his memory. After you do all this, go ahead and make things right. Go down to the police station and turn yourself in. Once you do that and take your punishment, whatever it is, all of us can get a good night’s sleep. Even though I still won’t have my dad in my life, things will finally be right.
Lisa Miles
WOMAN CONTINUES CRUSADE TO FIND HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER MILLVILLE – Lisa Miles isn’t giving up in her quest to find the truck driver that killed her father last year in a hit-and-run accident on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge. This week she was back at the bridge, putting up signs in both directions, seeking the one tip that could lead police to the driver. “I’m sending all of the information and a picture of my dad to America’s Most Wanted,” Miles said. “Maybe they will help us.” In the meantime, she has distributed fliers throughout the area describing the truck and asking for help from anyone who may have been near the bridge the morning of Nov. 14. That’s when her father, 62-year-old Lawrence Skinner Sr. of Millville, was killed. He was working with a construction crew when he was struck on the bridge by the truck that failed to stop. “The person knows he did it,” Miles said. “We’re still hopeful that either the driver or someone else will come forward.” Police continue to check out leads and believe the truck had a dark red cab and stainless steel or silver-like trailer. Reward offered Crime Stoppers of Millville Inc. is offering a reward of up to $1000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect. Anyone with a tip is urged to call 856-825-2182. Callers don’t have to give their names. They are assigned a code number for identification and reward purposes.
POLICE, FAMILY SEEK INFORMATION IN FATAL MILLVILLE HIT AND RUN MILLVILLE - Lisa Miles, of Vineland, and Millville detectives are seeking help from anyone who might have information about the tragic hit-and-run accident that killed Miles' father, Lawrence Skinner Sr., 62, of Millville, on Nov. 14, 2003. Miles is circulating fliers with a picture of her father, and the police have issued a Crime Stoppers appeal in the hope of bringing closure to the case. Skinner, a heavy-equipment operator employed by Arbrisco, was working on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge when he was struck and killed some time between 9:06 and 9:15 a.m. Another worker suffered minor injuries when hit by Skinner's body, according to a previous police report. The vehicle involved has been described as having a dark red cab with a stainless steel or silverlike body. It was an older model, triaxial dump truck, with slanted lettering on the door. Initially, it was believed that the driver may not have realized he hit somebody since there was a lip where the road and bridge met. "We now are convinced that the driver knew somebody was hit," Detective Lt. Tom Riley said Wednesday. A witness subsequently told police that the truck driver stopped approximately 100 feet away from where Skinner was struck, leaned out the driver's window, looked back and then fled, Riley said. The driver went south on Brandriff Avenue, crossing Route 49 to Silver Run Road. Miles said that with all of the publicity, the family believes the driver is aware that he hit someone. "My dad was working for a living and doing what he loved to do," Miles said. "His work was his passion. If the tables were turned and, God forbid, he hit somebody, the case would have been closed, for he would have reported it immediately to the police. "About a year before the accident, dad had five bypasses and he came through the heart surgery with flying colors. The doctor said that he was in excellent shape, and had a new lease on life. "Dad was killed on a Friday, cremated the Tuesday after and there was a memorial service that Saturday, but we never had closure," Miles said. "We don't know what happened that day. There's always a risk of an accident, but for someone to kill a person and not come forward there is no excuse for that. We want answers." Miles has an older brother, Lawrence Skinner, Jr., and a stepbrother, Steven Phillips. Miles emphasized that everyone she has talked with in the Millville Police Department has been helpful and sincere in their desire to solve the case. She particularly cited the concern shown by Sgt. Wayne Smith and Detectives Kevin McLaughlin and Steve Felice. Crime Stoppers of Millville Inc. is offering a cash reward of up to $1000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the driver. Anyone who may have been in the area of the accident when it happened or may have information about it should contact the Millville Police Department Detective division at 856-825-2112 or Crime Stoppers at 856-825-2182. You need not leave your name. A code number will be assigned for your identification. If the information you provide leads to an arrest and indictment, thenyou will be assigned a drop stop to pick up the reward.
PUBLIC’S ASSISTANCE SOUGHT IN PROBE OF BRIDGE HIT-RUN MILLVILLE – Police have issued another public appeal in the effort to identify the truck driver that struck and killed Lawrence Skinner Sr. last November. “There have been no new developments since the last time we asked the media to run a description of the truck,” Detective Kevin McLaughlin said. “We want to keep this before the public.” Skinner, 62, was killed Nov. 14 while working on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge. While no one saw the vehicle hit Skinner, people who were in the area believe it was an older model, tri-axial red dump truck with stainless steel or silver body and slanted lettering on the door. The victim’s daughter, Lisa Miles, will begin distributing 500 fliers to stores, businesses and truck stops this weekend in hopes of getting more information about the accident. The fliers include a photo of Skinner and a description of the truck. “We’re going to start on High Street, then go to the Wawa stores, the major trucking companies and the Vineland Auction Block,” Miles said. “I hope this effort will make the person responsible come forward or someone who may have seen something at the time of the accident.” Who to call: Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers of Millville Inc. at 856-825-2182. The organization is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information about the accident.
WOMAN MOURNS DEATH OF FATHER AS SEARCH FOR HIT-RUN DRIVER
CONTINUES MILLVILLE - The holidays came and went, but still, Lisa Miles found no peace. The truck driver who killed her father in a hit-and-run crash more than two months ago remains at large. "It's very frustrating," Miles said this week. "The person knows he did it. With so many people talking about the accident and all the publicity, we have a feeling that the person responsible knows that he hit my father." Lawrence Skinner Sr., a 62-year-old Millville resident, died the morning of Nov. 14 after he was hit by a truck while working as part of a construction crew on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge. Police have made no arrests but say they're continuing to search for the driver. That leaves Miles and her family waiting for answers. She said she was able to get through the Christmas season because of her 3-year-old son, but found herself constantly thinking about her father. Christmas Eve was particularly difficult, Miles said. "I was angry because I couldn't give my dad the things I always did, like a box of chocolate-covered cherries," she said. "Instead, my Christmas gift to him was an urn and a memorial in the paper. That's not what I wanted to be doing." Now Miles keeps the memory of her father, a Navy veteran, close to her by wearing a "Daddy's little girl" charm and a Navy anchor that her husband, Robert, gave her for Christmas. "Those gifts really meant a lot to me," she said. Sgt. Matt Rabbai said Millville police detectives continue to follow leads in hopes of finding the driver who fled the scene of the deadly crash. "It's an active investigation and they're working on what they have," Rabbai said. The accident happened shortly after 9 a.m. at the northwest corner of the bridge, near Vine Street. Police believe Skinner was struck by a truck with a dark red cab and a stainless steel or silver-like trailer. Miles is appealing to anyone with information about the accident to call police on the CrimeStoppers hotline. "This is a confidential service and no one has to know the identity of the caller," she said. "Of course we hope the person responsible will come forward, but we're also asking for help from anyone who was in the area at the time." How to help: Anyone with information about the accident that killed Lawrence Skinner Sr. is urged to call Crime Stoppers of Millville Inc. at 856-825-2182. Callers need not give their names, but are assigned a code number for identification and reward purposes. Did you know? " There were 43 hit-and-run accidents resulting in death on New Jersey roads during 2001, the last year for which statistics are available, according to the N.J. State Police.
HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER NEEDS TO COME FORWARD This letter is for the driver that hit my father on Nov. 14, 2003, on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge in Millville. Dear Driver, You took my dad away from my family and me on Nov. 14, when you drove over the Brandriff Avenue Bridge at 9:12 a.m. in Millville. It has been more than a month since you took my dad’s life. The holidays have come and gone. My family and I tried to celebrate them, but we were missing my father dearly. I bought my dad a couple things for Christmas. Do you know what they were? I will tell you: a nameplate for his urn. It reads: Lawrence R. Skinner Sr., May 9, 1941 – Nov. 14, 2003. It has a dump truck on it, also. That is what he did for a living; drove a dump truck just like you. The other thing I gave my dad was a memorial that was put in the paper on Christmas Day. I guess you spent the holidays with your family and were able to give your father a Christmas gift in person. Lucky you. I have tried not to be angry with you because it was an accident. But I feel like it is getting impossible now because you have not come forward. Your conscience has to be getting to you by now. Why not come forward? Ask your family this question: Wouldn’t they want to know what happened if you were the one who was hit and killed? I lost my dad, my NASCAR buddy. My dad and I always talked about the races; we even went to a couple of them together. My 3-year-old son lost his pop-pop. He was supposed to get a bulldozer ride from him the weekend that he was killed. What do I tell him now? We only have memories now of my dad and what he did for us. We would like to have answers to our questions. We were never given a chance to say goodbye or even see him after the accident. Come forward and give us closure. That is all we want and ask of you. Lisa Miles Vineland
POLICE: TRUCK DRIVER KNEW HE HIT MAN MILLVILLE – Police are still looking for information on a red dump truck involved in a hit and run accident that killed a construction worker on the Brandriff Avenue bridge Nov. 14. Lt. Tom Riley said Tuesday the driver knows someone was hit. “The driver knows exactly what happened,” Riley said, noting that previous reports indicated that police weren’t sure if the driver knew what had happened. Subsequent interviews of an eyewitness, who saw the truck cross the bridge and continue south on Brandriff toward East Main Street, suggest otherwise. “The driver stopped and looked back,” Riley said. Lawrence R. Skinner, 62, of Inglewood Avenue, was struck and killed by the truck while doing preparatory work for a new curb on the westbound side of the bridge. Traffic cones were placed along the side of the road where Skinner and three other workers were at the time of the accident. Another worker sustained minor injuries. Police have released several photographs of the model and make believed to be responsible. The latest photograph released indicates that the truck was an older model dump truck with a red cab and a logo written on its door with a silver trailer attached to it. In a previous interview, Skinner’s daughter Lisa Miles told the News that finding the driver responsible for her father’s death would help bring some closure to a family agonized by his untimely death. “You not only took his life, you destroyed a family,” Miles said. “This is cowardice. Take the consequences. Your life will go on. My father’s won’t.” Crime Stoppers of Millville, Inc. is offering a reward of up to $1000 for anyone with information that leads to an arrest in the case. Anyone who wishes to collect a cash reward should first call Crime Stoppers over its 24 hour hot line at 825-2182 or 825-2112. you need not leave your name. A code number will be assigned for your identification. If the information you provide leads to an arrest and indictment, then you will be assigned a drop stop to pick up the cash reward.
MEMORIAL FOR 1ST CHRISTMAS WITHOUT MY DAD In Loving Memory of Lawrence R. Skinner, Sr. The stockings are hung. The tree is decorated. The presents are ready to be opened. It’s Christmas Day. But it just does not feel the same without you. You were taken from us so suddenly. We were given no reason why. We never had a chance to say goodbye to you. Or tell you how much we love you. We wish for one more day to be with you. You will always be in our hearts. We will cherish every moment we had together. And one day, we will meet again. We promise you dad, We will find out the reason why. That is our Christmas gift to you. Love you Dad ~ Pop-Pop Your daughter, Lisa Ann Your son-in law, Robert & Your grandson Richard Lawrence
HIT-AND-RUN VICTIM’S KIN WANT CLOSURE MILLVILLE – This is the time of year when families gather together to share the love and joy of the season. It is also the season of giving and receiving. The family of Lawrence Robert Skinner, a Millville man killed by a hit-and-run driver Nov. 14 as he worked on a construction project on Brandriff Avenue, are hoping to receive closure. Skinner’s family wants to find out who was driving the large tri-axle sand carrier believed to have been the vehicle that struck him. Sue Skinner, his wife, and Lisa Miles, his daughter, along with his best friend, David Gonzalez, find it difficult to speak of their loss, but are willing to do whatever it takes to find out what happened that morning. “Our lives, as they were then, ended that day,” Miles said. “The police have been working hard trying to find out the identity of the truck and driver, and one day had counted 200 vehicles that matched the description. We know that truck is out there somewhere, maybe parked and not being used,” Sue Skinner said. There have been no good leads in the case, however, she said. “The guys who were working with him didn’t know what happened until they turned around and saw him lying there, and their instinct was to run to his aid, not to take down a tag number. An independent witness saw the truck go by,” she said. Gonzalez, whose brother is a trucker, feels that the person responsible knows by now that it was his or her vehicle that struck Skinner as he worked on a sidewalk near the Brandriff Avenue bridge that day. “Truckers are all brothers, a special breed of person. They are like a big family. Someone knows who did it, and we hope that someone breaks the silence and gives police a tip that leads to the driver’s identity,” Gonzalez said. The trucker who was driving would have checked his or her rig by now, he said, and there would have been some evidence of damage. “The driver knows about what happened. There’s been too much publicity in newspapers and on television not to know by now,” he said. “I really miss going to the Wawa with him in the morning, having a cup of coffee and just hanging out for a while.” Gonzalez said as he studied a cup of coffee growing cold in his hands. The family vividly recalls the day they received the news of Lawrence Skinner’s death. “He was totally crushed in the accident,” said Miles. “They wouldn’t even let us see his body at the hospital.” “I had a call from the hospital that there was an accident and I had to go up there. When I got there, they took me into a room and told me what had happened. I still feel numb. It’s like it isn’t real,” Sue Skinner said. “Then I had to go to a funeral home to make arrangements. We had him cremated. There wasn’t going to be a viewing, since he was injured so badly,” she said. “I still think of him as being at work… we never had a chance to say good-by.” Her husband was well-known and respected, never carried a grudge and would shrug off any disagreements, she said. “It took a lot of effort to anger him. “He loved his work and his dogs, and NASCAR races,” she noted. “He had his picture in the local paper just a few days before he was killed, showing him working on the bridge. When we lived in Rosenhayn, he donated his work, laid all the bricks for the sidewalk and did other work for the Rosenhayn United Methodist Church,” she recalled. “The church is going to dedicate that sidewalk to him” Miles’ son Richard Lawarence, 3, misses his grandfather, whom he was just growing old enough to know, his mother said. “We told him what happened, and now when he sees a truck go by, he asks us if that’s the truck that hit his Pop Pop,” Miles said. Skinner had a son, Lawrence Jr., and a stepson, Steven, along with four grandchildren. They may have a Christmas tree set up in the living room for the benefit of those grandchildren, but there is someone missing there, who made the family whole and whose spirit is all that remains. “(Police) won’t even let us have the special belt buckle he wore for years, one with a bulldozer and his name on it. They say it has to be held as evidence. Even having that could help bring us closure.” Sue Skinner said. “I hope whoever did this has a conscience and when they celebrate the holidays, they’ll think of us, who can’t celebrate at all. It has to be eating them up just like it is doing to us,” she said. “We know this was an accident, but by not coming forward and telling police they were driving that truck, the charges will increase. We are asking that person to come forward, to face the consequences: a fine, loss of license, whatever.” “You not only took his life, you destroyed a family,” Miles said of the driver. “This is a cowardice. Take the consequences. Your life will go on. My father’s won’t.”
HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER NEEDS TO STEP FORWARD Lawrence Skinner was struck and killed on the Brandriff Avenue bridge in Millville on Nov. 14. We are still waiting to hear that the driver of the truck has come forward. Larry was taken from us too soon and for no reason at all. We are pleading to anyone that knows any information to come forward so that we can have clusre. We're also asking all local and non-local truck drivers to keep their ears and eyes open. Larry was a dump-truck driver just like the person that hit him. He worked hard and provided for his family just like the person that hit him. Put yourself in our shoes, wouldn't you want to know what happened to your loved one if this happened to you? Please, anyone with any information, call the Millville Police. Larry was a good, kind-hearted, wonderful man. He is missed dearly by everyone that knew him. Please, don't let this man die without any answers for his family and friends. If the person that his Larry is reading this, please come forward. We know you must be torn up inside for taking a life by accident. Come forward. It is the only right thing to do. Lisa Miles Vineland
FAMILY OF HIT-RUN VICTIM SEEKS ANSWERS TO TRAGEDY MILLVILE – The daughter of a man killed on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge in a recent hit-and-run has issued a personal appeal for help in finding the driver of the truck that struck him. Lisa Miles said she doesn’t think the Nov. 14 accident that killed Lawrence Skinner, 62, was deliberate. “I don’t think someone drove down the road and just decided to run my father down, and we’re not out for justice,” she said. “Whoever it was will have to live with it for the rest of his life. We need to now: Did he or didn’t he realize that he hit my father?” Skinner was working as part of a construction crew when the truck hit him. Police believe it was a red, older-model, triaxial dump truck with slnated lettering on the door that killed the Inglewood Avenue resident. “The newspaper called him a city resident, but he was a husband, a father, grandfather and a hard worker who helped his church and his friends,” Miles said. “It’s a big loss for the family, and it was totally unexpected.” Miles said Skinner’s family was overwhelmed with the outpouring of sympathy at a memorial service held over the weekend. “So many people turned out; my father knew so many people,” she said. Police also have been kind to the family as they try to solve the case, Miles said. Miles said the family wants to know whether adequate safety precautions were taken at the construction site. “Were there enough cones? Did something distract my father? Were there other factors that contributed to this tragic accident?” Miles asked. “These are the questions we need to answer to put closure to this loss, and the only way the questions will be answered is to find the driver.” How to help: Anyone with information about the accident or the truck is urged to call detectives Kevin McLaughlin or Steve Felice at 825-2112 or Crime Stoppers at 825-2182.
POLICE OFFER NEW PHOTO OF HIT-AND-RUN TRUCK MILLVILLE – Police on Friday released a new photograph of the kind of dump truck they believe was involved in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 62 year-old city man. The Nov. 14 accident occurred around 9:15 a.m. on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge. Lawrence Skinner, an Inglewood Avenue resident, was working as part of a construction crew repairing the span when the truck hit him, police said. He died at the scene. The truck never stopped at the scene, and police have been coming the area for the driver ever since. The investigation is making progress, said Detective Kevin McLaughlin, who declined to elaborate. More interviews with witnesses have allowed detectives to revise the description of the dump truck, he said. Police believe the vehicle is a red, older-model, triaxial dump truck with slanted lettering on the door. It was traveling south on Brandriff Avenue and continued across Main Street toward Cedarville Road. Witnesses needed Anyone who was near Brandriff Avenue bridge around the time of the accident or has information about the accident is urged to call detectives Kevin McLaughlin or Steve Felice at 825-2112, or Crime Stoppers at 825-2182.
DRIVING AWAY FROM ACCIDENT WAS INEXCUSABLE Last week was a bad week. Overall the week started off good enough, but it went downhill quickly. First, after a fairly easy first six weeks, we learned what a “fussy” baby is all about – so rest did not come easily all week. Still, parenthood is proving to be a rewarding experience so I can happily live with a little less sleep. Next, we learned that, despite our very substantial crop losses because of the summer of 2002’s heat wave and subsequent “Indian summer,” our crop insurance is not going to cover any of our losses. To add insult to injury it appears as though the insurance might have covered some of our losses if we had been better advised about the complex crop-insurance policies. I have to take some blame for not researching the situation in more depth. And I am not at all happy with the professional advice I received while getting the insurance in the first place. Crop insurance is a recent requirement of many agricultural lenders, which is fine if you grow a monoculture crop such as soybeans or corn. Unfortunately the program privately administered and underwritten but largely funded by the federal government, is very cumbersome and poorly understood as it applies to nurseries. In my opinion, it is a poor value for both the taxpayer and the grower. Overall, this was an expensive and frustrating learning experience. However, a crying baby and inadequate crop insurance pale in comparision to how the week ended. We lost a good friend in a tragic accident at the Brandriff Avenue bridge last Friday. Larry Skinner was a first-class person and an equipment operator who did a lot of work at our nursery. Over the years, Larry spent countless hours here running all kinds of machinery for his employer. He literally helped to build our business. Everywhere you look at Cumberland Nurseries you can see Larry’s handiwork, and I guess that is the best tribute I can offer to a skilled and dedicated equipment operator and friend. It is sad that sometimes we never take the time to tell people they are appreciated while they are alive. In case I did not say so while he was here, I wanted to let Larry, his family and friends know that his life was appreciated and he will be missed. As of this writing, the driver of the truck that hit Larry has not been apprehended. Since I was not at the site I cannot pass judgement on what happened at around 9:15 a.m. last Friday morning. It may hav been an unavoidable accident or someone may have been at fault. However, I can say that while it may have been an accident, driving away and choosing to remain anonymous is inexcusable and inhumane. If you have any information about the accident, please contact the Millville Police.
POLICE STILL SEARCHING FOR TRUCK IN MILLVILLE HIT,RUN MILLVILLE – Police on Monday continued searching for the driver of a truck that struck and killed a 62-year old man working on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge. Lawrence Skinner of Inglewood Avenue died at the scene after the Friday morning accident. A coworker – Fausto Blas Martinez, 28, of Laurel Street in Bridgeton – was treated for minor injuries. Police Officer Chris Resch said Skinner’s body, rather than the truck, might have hit Martinez. “It’s difficult to determine exactly what happened or if the driver knew what happened,” Resch said. “Even the co-worker could not say how the accident occurred.” Skinner may have accidentally stepped off a curb, been knocked down by the truck and then run over, Resch said. Police on Monday released photographs of the type of truck that may have hit Skinner, hoping they might jog the memory of a potential witness. The truck appeared to be a sand or dump body. Although police found no witnesses to the actual accident, a Brandriff Avenue resident said the truck was red and had slanted lettering on the door. It was traveling south on Brandriff Avenue and continued across Main Street toward Cedarville Road. Both victims worked for Arbrsico Inc., formerly known as Gifford’s. The Millville firm is rehabilitating the bridge under a county contract.
POLICE SEEK TIPS ABOUT TRUCK THAT KILLED CITY MAN MILLVILLE – A hit-and-run crash killed a 62 year-old construction worker and injured antoher man Friday morning as they made repairs to the Brandriff Avenue Bridge. Authorities said the vehicle, believed to be a dump truck, did not stop after the accident. The driver may not have realized what had happened, police said. A countywide search for the vehicle, begun almost immediately after the crash, hadn’t turned up the truck as of late Friday. The effort included visits to sand mining operations in the lower townships, a possible destination for the truck. Both victims were employees of Arbrisco Inc, a Millville firm that’s rehabilitating and upgrading the bridge under a contract with Cumberland County. Lawrence Skinner of Millville died at the scene, said Sgt. Wayne Smith. The other victim, identified only as a 28-year old man, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point; further information about his condition was unavailable Friday night. Police were urging anyone with information about the accident to notify authorities. The truck is described as having a dark red cab and a stainless steel or silver-like trailer section. A name or logo may be on the cab door, positioned at an angle. “It’s a sand truck of some kind,” Smith said. “It’s definitely a dump body.” The accident occurred shortly after 9 a.m. at the northwest corner of the bridge, where it links with Vine Street. The connection creates a bump in the route when it’s crossed. Police speculated the truck driver could have interpreted the impact from striking the workers as being caused by that bump. Extensive bloodstains were visible on the bridge surface near its narrow curb as a police accident investigation unit recorded measurements. The span is a favorite route for traffic coming from south and west of the city because it avoids the congestion of the Main Street Bridge and downtown area. Smith said one witness, a resident of the area, saw the truck from his home. That witness told police the truck continued south on Brandriff Avenue and across East Main Street in the same direction. It was not known exactly where the two men were positioned on the bridge and what they were doing when struck. Smith said the work site was marked with traffic cones. The county Prosecutor’s Office and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are also investigating.
November 2003 I am writing in regard to the fatal hit-and-run accident that occurred in Millville recently. I believe that something like this should be handled the same as an Amber Alert, which broadcasts public warnings when children are reported missing. If the description of the truck had been broadcast immediately following the accident, perhaps the truck would have been seen by someone.
Terri Drueding Personal note by Lisa Miles: Terri was a co worker of mine and this is how I started with the Skinner Alert. Thanks to Terri stating this idea and her and I talking about it, we got it going in Cumberland County and hopefully before the end of 2005 it will be state wide in New Jersey.
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