Stop results in charges
of false IDs, assault
OLD BRIDGE — Two Freehold Borough men were arrested Friday night after they showed false identification cards during a motor vehicle stop on Route 9, police said.
One of the two men also allegedly struck an officer in the face while the officer was trying to pat him down, resulting in charges of aggravated assault and resisting arrest, according to police.
Police arrested Jesus A. Lopez, 23, of Freehold, the driver of the vehicle, which was stopped at 9:36 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of Outback Steakhouse, Route 9 and Perrine Road. Lopez allegedly hit Officer Keith Calvosa on the left side of his face as the officer tried to search him.
The suspect reportedly broke away from Calvosa’s grip and ran through the restaurant parking lot. He was subsequently apprehended when Calvosa and Detective Walter Decker tackled him to the ground, according to police reports.
Calvosa subsequently charged Lopez with exhibiting false identification when he reportedly displayed a fraudulent resident alien card during processing at police headquarters.
Police said they believe Lopez purchased the false identification in Freehold Borough for $150.
Juan Matias, 23, of Freehold, one of the back-seat passengers in the 1988 Buick driven by Lopez, was charged with exhibiting false identification. Matias is also believed to have bought the false resident alien identification in Freehold for $120, according to Decker’s report.
Initially, Decker had begun following Lopez at approximately 9 p.m. as he drove the Buick up Route 9 north from the parking lot of Oasis Ford, located at the highway’s junction with Route 18. Decker had become suspicious because the vehicle was traveling at about 20 mph and braking frequently, reports state.
The detective then pulled the vehicle over to the restaurant parking lot and allegedly noticed a subject in the front passenger seat bending over to place something under the seat, police said. When Decker approached the driver, Lopez, he said he detected the smell of alcohol and burnt marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.
Calvosa responded to Decker’s call for back-up, and the officer led Lopez behind the vehicle for questioning. Lopez initially cooperated with Calvosa’s orders to place his hands on the vehicle’s trunk, before turning around and hitting the officer as the pat down began, according to police.
Decker, who was then removing the front-seat passenger from the vehicle, observed Lopez running from Calvosa and assisted in the apprehension, police said.
A police search of the vehicle revealed an open bottle of beer possibly belonging to a front seat passenger, who was not charged, according to reports.
Lopez was transported to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick, where he was being held on $50,000 bail.
Matias was also transported to the county facility, where he remained on $25,000 bail, according to Lt. Robert Weiss of the Old Bridge Police Department.