February 01, 2022
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Police in Lakewood, New Jersey, are investigating whether to file charges against the plow-truck driver who dumped snow on two Orthodox Jewish men during last week's snowstorm The driver and the passenger in the plow truck shared video of what happened on social media, prompting outrage from community members. The photo above is a file photo and not the truck involved in the incident.
The snow plow driver, who cast a wave of snow and ice from his plow onto two Orthodox Jewish men walking along a New Jersey roadway during last week's storm, has been fired from his job and could face hate-crime charges, pending the outcome of a police investigation. Video of the act – which appears to have been intentional – was posted on social media.
The incident happened Saturday in Lakewood, Ocean County, while the plow operator and a passenger in his truck were out clearing roads. The passenger recorded the video with his phone as the driver approached the two men walking along County Line Road near the Jackson Township border.
The men can be seen through the truck's windshield and a portion of the plow also is visible. The plow lowers to touch the surface of the snow as the truck nears the men, causing a spray of snow that obscures visibility though the window. The video clip ends video with the driver and passenger trying to stifle their cackling about what they just did.
A now suspended employee of Waste Management used his snowplow to bury two Orthodox Jewish men in Lakewood. Disgusting.
— Knittinglinda #GetVaxxedAndBoosted (@knittinglinda) January 31, 2022
pic.twitter.com/JGduaSkBnI
The plow driver and the passenger shared the video on their Facebook pages, according to The Lakewood Scoop, which first reported about the incident. The two men later removed the video from their pages, but by then it had been recorded and shared elsewhere on social media.
The man behind the wheel of the truck was an employee of trash and recycling hauler Waste Management. The company said the man was off-duty at the time of the incident. Has was suspended and later terminated. "... (W)e can confirm that this behavior will not be tolerated from any WM employee and we will not employ those who act in this way."
— Waste Management (@WasteManagement) January 31, 2022
UPDATE: While the incident did not involve company equipment, the employee associated with this social media post is no longer employed with WM. The conduct of this former employee is unacceptable and not in accordance with WM’s code of conduct, commitments and values.
— WM (@WasteManagement) February 2, 2022
Lakewood is the most populous township in Ocean County and has one of the nation's largest communities of Orthodox Jews.
"I was appalled and shaken when I saw this video," Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles told Lakewood Scoop. "Not only was it cruel but it was also incredibly stupid and dangerous. The plow could easily have thrown chunks of ice or rock and seriously injured or killed either of the victims. "I am glad to know our police department is taking this as the serious incident it is."
The incident is under investigation by Lakewood police and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, Lakewood Patch reported.
Community members in Lakewood shared their disgust over the incident in interviews with NBC4, which reported that the two men hit by the snow plan to press charges.
The incident marks the latest example of tension between groups of residents in Ocean County, particularly in Lakewood and Jackson Township.
Jackson Township faces four discrimination lawsuits from the state and federal authorities filed in 2020 over allegations that the township's planning board used zoning laws to target and exclude Orthodox Jews based on their religion.
The Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey condemned the snow plow incident and urged the men who were walking along the road to take the matter to police.
We are absolutely disgusted by this video footage which appears to show a snow plow operator intentionally and callously targeting two Orthodox Jewish men. This conduct is as dangerous as it is disturbing and we urge the victims to file a report with the @Lakewood_PD. https://t.co/6s4oTousKY
— ADL New York / New Jersey (@ADL_NYNJ) January 30, 2022
