DWI Driver Charged With Child Endangerment, Headbutting Leonia Officer

A drunk driver who had an unbelted child in his car when he was stopped headbutted a Leonia police officer while being arrested, authorities said.

Jerry DeMarco

04/02/2022 11:26 a.m.

Carlos L. Monge, a 49-year-old Ecuadorian national living in the Bronx, was headed east on Fort Lee Road when he was stopped for failing to maintain a lane shortly before 2 a.m. Friday, April 1, Police Chief Scott Tamagny said.

Debbie Maldonado quickly spotted a female passenger asleep with a 2-year-old child on her lap, as well as vomit in the center console, the chief said.

Monge was being placed into a police cruiser when he headbutted Officer Young Cho, injuring the officer’s face, Tamagny said.

He was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and child endangerment and sent to the Bergen County Jail, where he remained on Saturday pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.

Officer Ryan Berger assisted.

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