Monmouth Men Charged With AttemptingTo Kill Two Men In A Car Outside A West Long Branch Motel

FREEHOLD – Two northern Monmouth County men have been charged with the attempted murder of two men who were sitting in a car outside a West Long Branch motel on Jan. 13, 2017, Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said.

Michael A. Seward, 29, Neptune, and Rayshawn J. Jones, 26, f Long Branch, were arrested Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017, and charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, second -degree unlawful possession of a weapon, second-degree certain persons not to possess weapons and fourth degree Refusal to Allow Collection of a DNA Sample.

Seward and Jones, each armed with a handgun, approached two victims who were seated in a car parked next to the La Quinta Inn at 109 Route 36, West Long Branch at 11:42 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2017. They began shooting as they approach the car and both victims were hit, Gramiccioni said.

Officers from West Long Branch Police Department and Oceanport Police Department heard the shots fired and responded immediately, he said.

Seward and Jones fled on foot. The victims drover themselves to an area hospital before police arrived on the scene. Both victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries and both have been released from the hospital, Gramiccioni said.

If convicted of first-degree attempted murder, Seward and Jones face a sentence of up to 20 years in a New Jersey state prison on each count of first-degree attempted murder, subject to the provisions of the "No Early Release Act," which requires they serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before they are eligible for parole, he said.

If convicted of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, or certain persons not to possess a weapon, the maximum potential custodial sentence for each charge is a state prison term of 10 years. There is also a period of parole ineligibility of one half of the custodial sentence imposed, or 42 months, whichever is greater. Seward and Jones face 18 months incarceration if convicted of fourth-degree refusal to allow collection of a DNA sample, Gramiccioni said.

Seward and Jones are lodged at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution held without bail under the new Bail Reform Act, pending a detention hearing set for 9 a.m. on Jan. 25, before Superior Court Judge David F. Bauman.

Image:Patch file photo.