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Officials: NJ man facing riot charges in H2Oi rally in Wildwood, authorities continue search for more suspects

By FOX 29 Staff
Published  October 13, 2022 8:51am EDT
Cape May County
FOX 29 Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA - A third person has been arrested and charged in connection with chaos that erupted at an unsanctioned car rally in Wildwood. 

Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland and Wildwood Police Department Chief Robert Regalbuto announced the arrest of 18-year-old Zion Diaz of Hammonton, New Jersey, on Wednesday. 

Officials say on Wednesday morning, detectives executed a search warrant at Diaz' residence and arrested him without incident. 

According to the Prosecutor's Office, he was charged with 4th-degree riot and released on a summons. 

Sutherland says Diaz was identified as a person who instructed others at the unsanctioned rally to block intersections, do burnouts and block police cars from responding to emergency calls when chaos erupted in the streets of Wildwood on September 24. 

After the chaos, there were several reports of car crashes, injuries and damaged storefronts. 

One crash turned deadly, claiming the lives of 18-year-old Linday Weakland and 34-year-old Timothy Ogden, according to officials. 

Unsanctioned H20i car rally causes deadly crash, property damage, bridge closure in Wildwood

Chaos erupted in Wildwood Crest Saturday night as an unsanctioned car rally took over the streets and, ultimately, killed two people.

Police say Gerald J. White, 37, was charged in connection with their deaths and a second man, Eryk R. Wnek, 22, was charged in connection with a nonfatal crash involving a golf cart. 

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Officials say they are also asking for the public's assistance in identifying a man seen in surveillance footage as well as a black Honda and its driver. 

A man in the dark hooded sweatshirt was allegedly involved in an aggravated assault on a police officer, authorities say. 

Officials with the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office and the Wildwood Police Department are searching for the man seen in this photo in connection with an incident at the unsanctioned H2Oi car rally in Wildwood.  (Cape May County Prosecutor's Office)

Police say the Honda Accord was involved in a motor vehicle crash with a golf cart. 

Officials with the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office and the Wildwood Police Department are searching for the car seen in this image and its driver in connection with an incident at the unsanctioned H2Oi car rally in Wildwood. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office at 609-522-0222.