Here's the stories you'll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show with Eric Scott on Tuesday:

⬛ Breakthrough In 1991 Mullica Township Murder Case After 34 Years

☑️ Evelyn Caez was found stabbed to death in her kitchen in 1991
☑️ The case remained active for 34 years
☑️ DNA testing matched evidence to suspect Danny Sykes

MULLICA — Charges have been filed in the sexual assault and murder of a 23-year-old woman in 1991. The suspect has already been in prison since 1995, serving hard time for another murder.

Evelyn Caez was found stabbed to death in the kitchen of her home on Lakeview Drive in Mullica, according to Atlantic County Prosecutor William Reynolds. The Press of Atlantic City reported at the time that her two children, ages 5 and 6, found her bleeding body.

The investigation remained active for 34 years, including periodic evaluations of forensic evidence.

A breakthrough came in 2023 when the state Office of Forensic Sciences reexamined forensic evidence from the crime scene.

DNA evidence found on Caez's underwear was matched to Eddie Sykes, 55, of Mullica. He was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, and first-degree aggravated sexual assault.

Sykes is already jailed at the New Jersey State Prison, serving 30 years to life for a 1992 homicide committed in 1992.

⬛ Escaped horse goes on Dunkin' run on highway

🐴 A horse got spooked and escaped Monmouth Park
🐴 Video captured the horse galloping along Route 36

OCEANPORT — A horse being walked to the track at Monmouth Park in the second race on Sunday got spooked and was captured on video galloping along Route 36.

Video captured the horse named Hawkstone with its headgear, called a bridle, still in place as it passed Dunkin' on the westbound side of Route 36. Trainer Cal Lynch told Thoroughbred Daily News the horse was captured shortly after that.

Hawkstone got spooked when a horse from the previous race went by. He broke loose and headed for the unlocked gate.

Monmouth Park spokesman Tom Lucci said the horse reared up just before the second race at the area called the gap, where riders and their horses enter and exit the track.

"By the time the alert was sounded for a loose horse he was past the stable gate. It was an unfortunate incident, but fortunately, no one was hurt. The horse is fine," Lucci said.

⬛ Video shows NJ cop drive through fireworks, scatters explosives

🎆 The fireworks were launched in the middle of the street
🎆 A police vehicle drove through the explosives as they were being launched
🎆 Penns Grove police are under command of the Salem County Prosecutor's Office

PENNS GROVE — A police officer was captured on video driving his vehicle over a fireworks display in the middle of a street on the Fourth of July sending the explosives sideways.

The video shows fireworks being launched into the air in the middle of a street and a Penns Grove police vehicle driving over it. According to the Facebook post with the video two pregnant women and at least five children were watching at the time.

Police Director Richard Rivera told NJ.com that an internal investigation would be appropriate but because the Prosecutor’s Office has taken command of the department, he could not issue a formal statement about the incident.

A spokesman for the Prosecutor's Office said they were aware of the video.

"A review of the incident will be conducted. Beyond that, there is no additional comment that we can provide," Acting First Assistant Prosecutor Jeffrey Barile said.

⬛ Driver arrested at gunpoint after hitting Lakewood police car

🚨William Pasco tried to run an unmarked Lakewood police vehicle off the road
🚨Video captured his arrest at gunpoint
🚨Pasco faces assault and DUI charges

LAKEWOOD — A man who tried to run an unmarked police vehicle off the road and was ordered to get out of his car at gunpoint.

William Pasco, 38, of Forked River, is charged with aggravated assault, driving under the influence and drug and weapons charges.

Video posted by The Lakewood Scoop, which does not have audio, shows Pasco being pulled over by a marked and unmarked vehicle and the armed officers getting out.

Pasco opens the driver's side door, exits the pickup up and walks toward the officers with his hands on his head. He then drops to his knees and then lays on the ground as more police vehicles arrive.

The officers point their weapons at the pick-up while the others walk to Pasco, bring him to his feet and walk him to one of the police vehicles.

⬛ After school cuts, NJ forces 12.9% tax hike for Toms River

🔴 State cut $175 million in funding for Toms River schools
🔴 Toms River is now being forced to raise taxes to avoid bankruptcy
🔴 Dept. of Education says school board's defiance puts students at risk

TOMS RIVER — Property taxes for the second-largest municipality in Ocean County will skyrocket by nearly 13% as a fierce battle over school budgets and state funding continues.

Despite its defiance, Toms River schools must adopt a budget that includes the 12.9% tax hike. It comes on top of a 9.3% increase the year before.

Ashley Lamb, the school board president, said the double-digit increase was "unconscionable."

However, the New Jersey Department of Education has no problem forcing the school district to implement the tax increases.

State officials said they stepped in and adopted the budget just before the Fourth of July weekend.

They said the board's refusal to again massively increase taxes due to cuts in state aid put students at risk and indicated "deeper and systemic concerns."

New Jersey officials blame Toms River after cutting $175 million in school funds

On Thursday, the DOE released a scathing statement that said adopting a budget was one of school administrators' most basic responsibilities.

"While the Department acknowledges the difficulty inherent in school district budgeting decisions, the State and the public hold their school district leaders to the highest standards and expect them to rise to this challenge," the DOE said in a statement.

It's the second year in a row that the state has forced Toms River schools to adopt a budget with local tax hikes.

Start your day with up-to-the-minute news, traffic and weather for the Garden State.

Eric Scott hosts the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show from 6 - 10 a.m. on New Jersey 101.5.

Join the conversation by calling 1-800-283-1015 or download the NJ101.5 app.

You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.