Wall Township police said officers responded to a reported carjacking on Interstate 195 near the interchange with Route 34 at around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28. Three men were heading to Asbury Park when two of the men stole the vehicle.
The victim was left on the side of the road and he wasn't injured.
“While this incident is very alarming, it is important that the public knows the three men involved knew each other and this wasn’t a random act of violence,” said police Chief Sean O’Halloran.
Shortly afterward, Asbury Park police found the stolen vehicle. They arrested 25-year-old Biagio Toto of Plainsboro and 28-year-old Nicholas Grande of Belle Mead.
Toto was charged with first-degree carjacking, third-degree theft of a motor vehicle, third-degree receiving stolen property, three counts of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Grande was charged with third-degree receiving stolen property, two counts of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and two counts of failure to make lawful disposition.
Toto was being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution and Grande was released on a summons.
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