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Michael Gonzales, 36, was arrested on Friday, Apr. 5, a Middletown police spokesperson said. He was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes.
Investigators said Gonzales hit a 64-year-old Edison man in the head several times with a handheld sledgehammer at Crown Tire on Route 36 in the Port Monmouth section of Middletown. The victim was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.
During the attack, Gonzales was also accused of pushing a woman, causing her to fall. She was brought to Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank for her injuries. Gonzales was detained by witnesses before being taken into police custody.
Middletown police did not identify the victims to the Daily Voice in an email on Monday, Apr. 8. A Facebook page for Rocky Granata claimed he was the man hit by the sledgehammer.
Granata is known for having an RV decorated with pictures and messages of support for former President Donald Trump. Police said that the attack was not politically motivated and that Gonzales personally knows both victims.
Gonzales was held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institute to await a court hearing.
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