Man Doused With Gasoline, Threatened With Gun In Red Bank: Police

RED BANK, NJ — A Red Bank man was arrested after he was accused of hitting a Bank Street resident in the head, pouring gasoline on him and threatening him with a gun, Red Bank Police Chief Michael Frazee said.

Jose Hernandez-Ruano, 23, who also lives on Bank Street, was arrested two days after the attack, Frazee said. He has been charged with aggravated assault, the chief said.

Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, Feb. 4, police were called to Riverview Medical Center after being notified of an emergency room patient who had been assaulted in Red Bank.

At the hospital, Patrolman Andrew Todd learned the man was bleeding severely from his head and had his clothes soaked in gasoline.

The victim told police that while he was in his backyard, a man he did not know approached him and the two got into an argument. The attacker hit the victim in the head with a metal object during the argument and knocked him to the ground, the victim told police.

While the victim was on the ground, the attacker started pouring gasoline from a nearby gas tank on the victim and then threatened him with a handgun. The attacker then ran off, police said.

The victim was taken to Riverview Medical Center for treatment and later released, Frazee said.

On Thursday, Feb. 6, Patrolman Taylor Doremus and Patrolman James McGee were told by the victim that the attacker had been seen in the area of 75 Bank St., and the patrolmen found a man fitting the suspect’s description at that location.

Hernandez-Ruano was questioned and provided police with false identification, with the name and birthdate of someone else, Frazee said.

In addition to aggravated assault, he has been charged with possessing and providing a false identification, hindering his apprehension, possession of a weapon for unlawful use, and unlawful possession of a weapon, police said.

Hernandez-Ruano had his detention hearing on Feb. 7 and was released with the conditions of monthly monitoring, no victim contact and no return to the scene of the crime, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said.

The incident remains under investigation, Frazee said. Anyone with information is being asked to contact Detective Paul Perez or Lt. James Deponte at 732-530-2700.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated with additional information from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.