New Jersey Police Arrest Suspect in Taxi Attack While Two Others Enter ICE Custody
After a frightening attack on a taxi driver in Howell, New Jersey, last month, one suspect was arrested for serious assault and carjacking, while two others were detained by ICE. After a concerted police operation, authorities announced the developments Tuesday.
Two males were picked up by a taxi driver in Neptune and driven to Oak Glen Park at 11:15 p.m. on January 16. At the destination, a passenger allegedly slashed the 46-year-old driver’s face. The victim ran from the taxi while the perpetrators drove away.
An emergency patrol officer found the injured driver shortly after the attack. The motorist was transported to a local hospital for facial lacerations. The attackers fled before officers arrived.
Howell Township Police Department officers identified 19-year-old Melvin J. Cruz-Salmoran as an accused attacker after a thorough investigation. Cruz-Salmoran, a Mexican national from Neptune Township, was charged with first-degree carjacking, second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree assault with a deadly weapon, and third-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.
Cruz-Salmoran was found by FBI officers in Neptune Township on Tuesday. Others in the home failed to hide him from authorities. Two additional Mexican nationals at the apartment were arrested with Cruz-Salmoran. Jose Luis Acevedo Jimenez, 27, was charged with submitting false information to federal investigators, while Jovanni Cruz-Salmoran, 29, was detained by ICE after federal authorities confirmed his claimed illegal immigrant status. Both guys were processed at the Newark Field Office of ICE.
A 22-year-old Neptune woman jailed on local charges for allegedly lying to police was also present. She was discharged pending court appearance.
After his arrest, Melvin J. Cruz-Salmoran was processed at Howell Township Police Department and sent to Monmouth County Correctional Institution, where he remains pending legal procedures. Investigators are searching for the second taxi assault suspect.
Investigators want anyone with knowledge to contact Howell Township Police Detective Vincent Bonner. This ongoing investigation shows how local and federal police agencies in New Jersey interact to combat violent crime and immigration enforcement.
Sources:
- Howell Township Police Department official statement
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official reports
