Community Corner

UPDATE: Police Issue Statement on South Jersey 'Idol' Star's Local Charges

Jermaine Jones tweets his departure amid allegations he lied to producers—and one of those lies allegedly involves township police.

Pine Hill native Jermaine Jones’ rising star crashed today as the American Idol contestant learned he’d be thrown off the singing competition.

TMZ first reported that Jones would be kicked off Idol for concealing past arrests and active warrants. TMZ reports Jones gave police fake names in two incidents.

Gloucester Township Police have confirmed Jones was arrested here in the township on two occasions in 2011.

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Jones was a passenger in a car pulled over and told police his name was Kareem Watkins in a November 2011 incident, the gossip site says. Township police on Wednesday confirmed that information, saying the arrest occurred on Hickstown Road, but did not disclose the name Jones allegedly provided investigating officers.

Gloucester Township Police Lt. Chris Jones said Wednesday afternoon in a statement that Jermaine Jones also provided officers with a fake name, and was arrested on related charges, earlier in 2011. (See Lt. Jones' full statement in the PDF attached to the right.)

Find out what's happening in Moorestownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Police encountered Jermaine Jones after being summoned to Howard Johnson Express Inn, on Black Horse Pike in the township's Blackwood section, on a report of a disturbance early on the morning of March 5.

TMZ has also questioned whether the Idol contestant's account of his father abandoning him—a story that won sympathy from voters—was fabricated.

Jermaine Jones himself appeared to confirm the Idol boot, tweeting he was getting kicked off, People reports. That Twitter account has since been deleted.

Known as the “gentle giant,” the 6-foot-8, velvet-voiced Jones is a vocal instructor in Pine Hill. He was already eliminated from the show, but brought back for a second chance and made it to the final 13 before the criminal and lying allegations came to light.


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