This just goes to show you that you are not even safe in your own home sometimes. A 29-year-old Hoboken man was assaulted while staying at his girlfriend’s apartment by four men that his girlfriend’s daughter had invited over early Sunday morning according to police reports. All four defendants, who ranged from 20 to 28 years old are from Jersey City and were charged with aggravated assault for the beating.
The incident took place around 3:30 a.m. when police officers on routine patrol were flagged down by a crowd of bystanders. A woman from the crowd yelled to police “Chase those cars, they hit my boyfriend!” while pointing at two cars that were just driving away, according to the police report. After being stopped, the men were subsequently arrested and one was charged with driving on a suspended license and having an open container in the car, while a fifth defendant was arrested for having open bench warrants.
The incident took place when the daughter of the victim’s girlfriend came home with the defendants in the early hours of the morning. The men were making a lot of noise and the victim confronted them and told them to leave the apartment. When the defendant’s refused to leave, an argument broke out which ultimately ended in the victim being hit with a bedroom mirror and continuously assaulted in the apartment and into the hallway. The extent of the injuries are unknown at this point but one thing that is clear is that the assault victim was taken to Hoboken University Medical Center, where he was treated for a cut to the top of his head and left eyebrow. For more on this story please visit nj.com.
New Jersey grades the seriousness of assault charges based on a number of different things, but most importantly it is the extent of the injury. It this case if the victim only suffered a black eye then the defendants would of most likely been charged with Simple Assault and been required to appear in Hoboken Municipal Court since that is where the attack took place. But because they used a weapon (the mirror) and the victim suffered cuts and lacerations the charges are upgraded to Aggravated Assault. Based on the facts released from the police report, theses offenses could very well be 3rd degree indictable crimes or even 2nd degree which carries mandatory incarceration for even a first time offender. The men will most likely be required to appear in CJP at the Hudson County Superior Court which is located in Jersey City.
