Suicidal man hoped to die in a shootout with police— (The Press of Atlantic City)

Original article no longer available

The Press of Atlantic City, (NJ)

February 29, 1992

Author: BYLINE: From our wire services

AROUND THE STATE / STATE BRIEFS

TRENTON – A suicidal Colts Neck man hoped to die in a shootout with police when he robbed a bank with a toy gun, his lawyer said Friday.

Mark J. Imholte, who was on the antidepressant Prozac at the time, hoped police would kill him after he robbed Marine View Savings and Loan in Middletown Township Thursday, according to attorney Edward Plaza.

Imholte, 25, called the FBI minutes after the holdup to say he was sorry and told them where the money was, Plaza said. Imholte surrendered at a hospital later that day.

U.S. Magistrate John Hughes released Imholte into the custody of his father Friday on the condition he immediately check into the psychiatric wing of Centra State Medical Center in Freehold.

Wearing a plastic mask and wielding a toy gun, Imholte held up the place about 9:15 a.m., according to FBI Special Agent Timothy Sullivan.

Imholte forced two bank tellers into the ladies room and fled with $9,893 in a gym bag, Sullivan said.

Imholte was charged with one count of bank robbery and faces up to 20 years and $250,000 in fines, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney John Farmer.

SPCA charges officer

PISCATAWAY – A Middlesex County animal-control officer is facing charges that he drove a truck into a flock of Canada geese and tore the head off an injured bird.

The Middlesex County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has charged Gary Alsheimer with needlessly killing an animal after the alleged incident at Johnson Park in Piscataway.

Alsheimer, a full-time maintenance worker for the county Parks Department, has admitted killing a goose, but denied the SPCA’s allegations that he mistreated the animal.

By his account, he honked his horn to alert the geese, but one flew under the back wheels of his truck. The goose, killed by the impact, was so badly maimed that its head and neck came off after he threw it into the truck, he said.