Sherry conohan
Former Monmouth U. employee embroiled in controversy with school
By carolyn O’ConnelL &
Sherry conohan
Staff Writers
A bomb threat reportedly made by a Long Branch resident while holed up in a Princeton University academic building Saturday led city police to join in the effort to coax her into giving herself up.
Geraldine M. Dametz, 46, of MacArthur Avenue, a former employee of Monmouth University, allegedly said she had a bomb during a telephone call to Long Branch Police Detective Raymond Chaparro Jr., according to police.
Two days earlier, Dametz allegedly informed Monmouth University, West Long Branch, that there were bombs in two of its buildings, Woodrow Wilson Hall and the facilities management office.
Long Branch police contacted Princeton University to advise officials there of the threat and the call was tracked to Wallace Hall, Room No. 190, on the Princeton Borough campus. The university called Princeton police who secured the scene, according to police.
Princeton Township police, the university’s Office of Public Safety, the New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ewing Township Police Department tactical team also responded.
Officers of the Long Branch and Monmouth University police departments drove across the state to assist in the situation.
When Chaparro and Long Branch Lt. Bruce Johantgen arrived at Princeton, they were directed to Wallace Hall where Dametz had barricaded herself in the room.
At one point, Chaparro said, Dametz opened the door to the room she was inside but quickly closed it and began moving more furniture around. The second time she opened the door, he and Johantgen pushed their way in and grabbed her by the hands and pulled her out.
"By the time we pulled her out," Chaparro said, "she looked exhausted, maybe even relieved that the whole thing was over."
No bomb was found in the building, police said.
Princeton police said the apparent catalyst for Dametz’s action was a "personal disenchantment" with a Princeton University employee who used to work at Monmouth University.
Dametz was charged with burglary, making terroristic threats and creating a false public alarm in Princeton and was placed in the Mercer County jail in lieu of $200,000 bail with no 10 percent option.
She faces charges filed by Monmouth University police for making terroristic threats and warning of an impending bombing, knowing that it was false and likely to cause the evacuation of a building.
Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Robert A. Coogan, sitting in Freehold, fixed bail on those charges at $200,000 and ordered a psychiatric evaluation.
Dametz also faces a charge filed by Monmouth University police accusing her of trespassing on the campus May 3 in violation of a restraining order. In addition, two charges brought against her by Monmouth University police in 2001 are still outstanding, one is for making threats and the other for trespassing.
Dametz had come to know officers of the Long Branch Police Department because of personal issues dating back to 1997 when she was as an employee of Monmouth University.
In the past, Dametz had established an acquaintance with Chaparro, the detective she reached out to last Thursday.
According to Lt. Johantgen, Dametz made threats not only to the university last week, but also to city Councilman John "Fazz" Zambrano. As a result, police officers were assigned to watch Zambrano’s home.
Zambrano is the associate vice president of facilities management at Monmouth University.
At the time of the threats, an officer was posted outside of Dametz’s home.
Chaparro said when he heard through other officers in his department that Dametz had made the threats against Zambrano, he tried to reach her on her cell phone that evening.
"She did answer the phone but did not talk to me," he said, "but left the phone on and I could hear her driving and that the radio was on."
By Saturday, shortly before noon, Chaparro, who was off duty, said he had received two messages on his cell phone from Dametz. In her last message, Dametz identified herself and said that there was a bomb at Princeton University, according to Chaparro.
After making contact with Dametz, Chaparro remained in contact for one hour but had to turn the phone over to Sgt. Lyndon Johnson.
When Chaparro did get back on the phone, he said Dametz told him that "people will listen to her now. They hadn’t before."
According to Johantgen, Long Branch officers contacted Verizon to run a trace on Dametz’s cell phone to pinpoint her location.
"We encountered several legal issues," said Johantgen, "having to obtain a subpoena to trace the call."
According to Patricia Allen, a Princeton University spokesperson, the university’s Office of Public Safety conducted a sweep of the campus and located Dametz in Wallace Hall, an academic building with classrooms and conference halls.
"Because she made threats to blow up the building, the building, as well as surrounding buildings, were evacuated," she said.
Because commencement was last Tuesday, Allen said, only two or three people had been in the building.
While still on the phone with Chaparro, Dametz made two demands, according to police.
According to Chaparro, she wanted the police removed from in front of her home because it was embarrassing, and she wanted cigarettes.
"I told her this plan of hers was not working and what I could do for her," said Chaparro.
Shortly thereafter, Chaparro said Dametz agreed she would turn herself in on the terms that she not have to turn herself into Monmouth County.
While en route to Princeton and still on the phone with Dametz, Chaparro said they spoke of her children and her life.
Chaparro said that Dametz was upset because officials at Monmouth University would not allow her to attend her son’s graduation.
While working for the university, Dametz left on disability. When she was ready to return to work, her job was gone, according to police.
Once inside, the bomb squad did not find any explosive devices in the building or in Dametz’s vehicle, a 1995 Buick Riviera which was parked on Prospect Avenue, according to Lt. John D. Reading.
Dametz was placed in custody and, as promised, Chaparro accompanied her to the Princeton Borough Police Department where she was charged. From there she was taken to the Mercer County Detention Center.
One of the two charges brought against Dametz in 2001 by Monmouth University accused her of threatening to commit an act of physical violence Aug. 1, 2001, against Patricia Swannack, vice president for administrative services. Dametz allegedly said she now understands why employees shoot their employers and "Patti will get hers in the long run."
The other charge of trespassing was made July 28, 2001, in violation of a restraining order.
Both of the charges were transferred to Rumson municipal court for a hearing and were dismissed, but reactivated a short time later. The charges were transferred to Rumson because of a conflict of interest involving the then-chief of the university police, Thomas Zambrano, the brother of West Long Branch Mayor Paul Zambrano and John Zambrano.