Howell Man Who Fired Shots At Truck Charged With Attempted Murder

FREEHOLD, NJ — A Howell Township resident has been arrested and charged with attempted murder, among other crimes, for firing a handgun at a rideshare vehicle outside his girlfriend’s home early Sunday morning, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said Monday.

Pietro Ventricelli, 44, of Howell, was arrested and charged with one count of first-degree attempted murder, one count of second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (firearm) and one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, the prosecutor's office said.

At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, Jan. 15, Howell Township Police responded to a call for shots fired from a home on Carrie Drive, authorities said.

The investigation revealed that three juvenile friends of the homeowner’s son were sitting in his vehicle in front of the house awaiting the arrival of a rideshare service.

Upon arrival, the three juveniles got out of the vehicle, inadvertently setting off the vehicle’s alarm system.

Ventricelli, the homeowner’s boyfriend, came outside and began firing at the rideshare vehicle, later identified as a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, striking it three times, the prosecutor said.

The driver was able to leave without any injuries to anyone within the vehicle.

Authorities ask anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Brian Migliorisi at 800-533-7443 or Howell Township Police Department Detective Ryan Jackson at 732-938-4575.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Michael Luciano.