A trial is tentatively scheduled to take place later this year for the Sayreville, Middlesex County, man who is accused of murdering a Freehold Township resident nearly four years ago.
Jamil S. Hubbard of Sayreville was indicted on March 11, 2019, on charges of first degree murder, first degree felony murder, first degree armed robbery, first degree bias intimidation, second degree eluding police, third degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and third degree theft, according to Mark Spivey, a public information officer with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
Spivey was responding to a Jan. 4 inquiry from the News Transcript regarding the status of the case against Hubbard, who is alleged to have attacked Jerry Wolkowitz, 56, outside his Freehold Township residence on the morning of May 1, 2018.
Wolkowitz was seriously injured in the attack and hospitalized. More than five months later, he died at AcuteCare Specialty Hospital at Kimball, Lakewood, on Oct. 18, 2018.
Wolkowitz was a news photographer and a longtime volunteer member of the Freehold First Aid and Emergency Squad.
Hubbard, who was 25 at the time of the attack, was arrested at his residence in Sayreville on the day the attack on Wolkowitz occurred.
Spivey confirmed that Hubbard has remained in custody pending trial. Spivey said a trial is tentatively scheduled to take place later this year, although a specific start date has not yet been set.
Law enforcement authorities provided the details of the incident that claimed Wolkowitz’s life.
On May 1, 2018 at 7:15 a.m., Freehold Township police were dispatched to an apartment complex on Harding Road. The responding officers observed Wolkowitz lying in the parking lot with injuries to his head and body.
An investigation conducted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Freehold Township Police Department revealed that Hubbard allegedly approached Wolkowitz from behind and used his fists to hit Wolkowitz on his head and face before dragging him into the parking lot.
Hubbard then allegedly drove his own motor vehicle over Wolkowitz. Hubbard then stole Wolkowitz’s car, which was later discovered abandoned on Bordentown Avenue in Sayreville.
Hubbard was apprehended at his home later that same day by members of the Sayreville Police Department.
Christopher Gramiccioni, who was the Monmouth County prosecutor at the time, said the investigation determined Hubbard did not know or have any previous contact with Wolkowitz prior to the May 1 attack.
According to the indictment, the grand jurors allege Hubbard, who is Black, committed the crime of bias intimidation … “with a purpose to intimidate Wolkowitz (who was white), because of Wolkowitz’s race or color, and/or knowing the conduct constituting the offense would cause an individual or group of individuals to be intimidated because of race or color,” contrary to state law.