Lambertville police said a Hispanic man was stabbed in the abdomen, but provided them with a phony address and, possibly, a false name.
By: Linda Seida
LAMBERTVILLE Police are trying to unravel the mystery of a Hispanic man who said he was stabbed, but gave them a phony address and presumably a false name as well.
The man, who identified himself as Aldair Hernandez, 25, was released from Hunterdon Medical Center on April 12, according to police.
He had suffered a "relatively serious injury" on April 10, a perforated intestine that required surgery, Police Director Bruce Cocuzza said.
Police wanted to question him after he was treated but cannot locate him.
"This guy is in the wind," Mr. Cocuzza said.
Mr. Hernandez told police he was stabbed in the abdomen when he was "attacked on the street" in Lambertville, said Detective Sgt. Jeffrey Jones, who is investigating the incident.
Mr. Cocuzza said police are classifying the incident as an aggravated assault. It occurred April 10 at about 3 a.m.
Police said the victim was "uncooperative" and gave no description of his alleged attacker.
He also gave police a phony address. He said he lives at 18 McCready’s Alley. Officers "checked on several occasions, but nobody there knows him or recognizes his picture," Mr. Cocuzza said. "Nobody knows this guy, allegedly."
Because the police are classifying the man as a victim, Mr. Cocuzza said, they would not release his photo.
Mr. Hernandez did not phone emergency services or police after he was injured. Instead, police said, he told them he called a friend from New Hope and walked across the bridge to the Pennsylvania side to meet him.
The friend drove him to Hunterdon Medical Center’s emergency room, according to police.
Emergency room personnel called Raritan Township police when they ascertained the nature of the wound. Raritan Township police then notified Lambertville police when they were told the assault had occurred in the city, Mr. Cocuzza said.
Lambertville police were hampered in their initial investigation by the language barrier. The victim indicated he did not speak English, and police were unable to locate an interpreter despite calls to the county and other agencies, according to Mr. Cocuzza.
Police were able to ascertain basic information because "the doctor that treated him was pretty fluent," Mr. Cocuzza said.

