New Brunswick Man Charged With Attempted Murder Of Police Officer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — After a month-long manhunt, a New Brunswick man was arrested last Wednesday and charged with attempted murder of a police officer, resisting arrest and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Police from North and South Brunswick had been investigating Luis Duval-Jimenez, 31, for a ring of car thefts and fraud across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They were monitoring a motel room where he was living, at Hotel Vincenza on Rt. 1 in South Brunswick.

On May 15, North Brunswick police officers approached Duval-Jimenez as he left his motel room and got into a Honda Accord. Officers were attempting to take Duval-Jimenez into custody when Duval-Jimenez accelerated his Honda Accord and rammed a police vehicle as North Brunswick Police Lieutenant Frank Vitelli was exiting the car, pinning the officer's leg in the doorframe. His ankle was broken.

North Brunswick Captain Cory Harris attempted to open the driver’s side door of the Honda to stop Duval-Jimenez from ramming the police car. As the Honda driver’s side door opened, a loaded handgun dropped out onto the parking lot.

Duval-Jimenez drove his Accord out of the motel parking lot and fled the scene. Police have been looking for him since, and he was taken into custody last Wednesday by U.S. Marshals.

After Duval-Jimenez fled, South Brunswick officers located and arrested two people connected to him: Angelica Hernandez-Mayrena, 25, of New Brunswick, and Bryan Sanchez, 20, of New Brunswick. She was charged with criminal trespass, and he was charged with hindering the apprehension of another. They were both released on a summons.

Vitelli was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

Duval-Jimenez is currently being held at Middlesex County Correction Center.