NJ Transit Rider Attacked In Bias Incident In Morristown: NJT

MORRISTOWN, NJ — A Morristown man was arrested and charged with bias intimidation after a Friday night fight on a New Jersey Transit train, transit officials confirmed.

Johnny Juica-Pena, 52, of Morristown, was one of two men involved in a "dispute and altercation" on the Morris & Essex Line train number 667 around 11 p.m. Friday night, spokesperson Jim Smith said. He was arrested and charged with harassment, simple assault, and bias intimidation for his role in the fight, Smith said.

The alleged victim, Keith Brown, of Morris Plains, told News 12 New Jersey that he'd been on the train for about 20 minutes when Juica-Pena asked him if someone was in the bathroom. Brown said when he couldn't answer, Juica-Pena yelled racial and anti-Muslin slurs at him.

Brown says he told Juica-Pena to leave him alone, and Juica-Pena responded by hitting him. A former boxer, Brown told News 12 NJ that he hit back in self defense.