Bergen Man Charged In Paramus Jitney Bus Incident

PARAMUS, NJ — A man was charged two weeks after he called a fellow Paramus jitney bus passenger a terrorist and threatened to kill him, police announced.

Victor Colon, 51, of Hackensack was arrested at his apartment Wednesday night in connection with the May 2 incident, said Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg.

Police released photos of Colon and video of the incident to the media Wednesday. Shortly after the information was released, Detective Sal Cosentino received information identifying Colon as the suspect, Ehrenberg said.

At about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, Cosentino and other Paramus and Hackensack police officers arrested Colon at his apartment, the chief said. He was charged with bias intimidation, terroristic threats, and aggravated assault with a weapon.

Related: Paramus Police Seek Jitney Bus Attack Suspect

Colon was processed and booked at the Paramus Police Department headquarters. He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a bail hearing, the chief said.

The suspect in the jitney bus incident stomped on a man's foot as he walked past him on the jitney bus in Fair Lawn, police previously said.

As the victim sat down, the man moved his seat closer to him and harassed him, asking the victim if he was Indian, police previously said. The suspect said the victim's family killed his father and that he was a terrorist and responsible for the 9/11 attacks, police said.

The suspect spit at the victim, brandished a box cutter, slashing it through the air, and hitting the man's backpack, Ehrenberg said.

While near the 24 Hour Fitness building on Route 4 East, the suspect demanded the driver stop the bus and told the victim to get off, Ehrenberg said.

The victim got off and called the Paramus Police Department, he said.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com