Alexandra DeMatos

Six Flags Great Adventure is preparing to deliver thrills and chills this fall, with new experiences joining its iconic Fright Fest lineup. The theme park says it is going big this season, led by four new haunted mazes.

New details released by the Attorney General's Office show that an unmarked police SUV was following a speeding sedan that struck and killed a 17-year-old girl, Zakiyah Dansby, on Aug. 9. Newark Police Sgt. Xavier Pimentel was driving the unmarked SUV on Bloomfield Avenue around 9 p.m. that Sunday when he observed a sedan traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed, according to the Attorney General's Office. Pimentel made a U-turn near Parker Street and began following the sedan.

A Monmouth County school district is banning metal water bottles from classrooms, a decision that is getting pushback from some parents. Howell school officials said the bottles are heavy and can cause serious injuries if used in a fight. Students who bring metal water bottles to school will be required to turn them in. Parents have started a petition opposing the decision, which has garnered more than 1,000 signatures since it was posted on Aug 12.