UPDATE: Man Jailed On Attempted Murder After Hitting Girlfriend Repeatedly With Truck

UPDATE, 8 p.m.: Toms River police apprehended James Crudup about 7 p.m., said Ralph Stocco, spokesman for the Toms River Police Department.

Details on his arrest were not immediately available.

PREVIOUSLY: A Toms River man is wanted on a charge of attempted murder after he ran over his girlfriend repeatedly with his truck early Sunday morning, Toms River police said Sunday afternoon.

James Crudup, 44, of Bay Avenue, was last seen shortly after midnight fleeing west on Route 37 from the Hess gas station in a brown 2000 Dodge Durango. Crudup is a black male, 5-foot-10, weighing about 250 pounds, with brown eyes and very short black hair, said Ralph Stocco, spokesman for the Toms River Police Department.

Anyone with information on Crudup’s whereabouts is urged to call 911 or your local police department immediately.

Crudup’s 35-year-old girlfriend is hospitalized with injuries that do not appear to be life-threatening at this time, Stocco said.

Stocco said Toms River Patrol Officer Louis Taranto responded to the Hess station at 58 Route 37 East about 12:30 a.m. Sunday for what was reported as a car crash. Upon arrival, however, Taranto learned the car crash arose out of a domestic dispute between Crudup and his girlfriend.

Crudup pulled into the Hess parking lot with his girlfriend in the truck, and the two got out of the Durango and began to argue. The argument led to the woman being thrown to the ground and choked by Crudup. The woman got up and ran towards the gas pumps, and Crudup got into his truck, put it in reverse, and drove toward her, Stocco said. A gas attendant tried to push the woman out of the way however the vehicle still hit her and its bumper pinned her against the gas pump. Crudup backed up, freeing her momentarily, but then drove at her again as she was lying on the ground. He ran over her legs and also struck the gas pumps and kiosk a second time, Stocco said.

Crudup again backed away but drove at her once more, striking her a third time before fleeing west on Route 37. The woman was taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center by Toms River EMS Unit Med 11 for treatment, Stocco said.

Toms River Police Detectives Randy Petrick and Mark Bajada continued the investigation along with Ocean County Prosecutors Officer Detective Proto and Sheriffs CIU Officer Scutti, and they charged Crudup with attempted murder as well as numerous motor vehicle violations.

Crudup’s bail has been set at $500,000, Stocco said.

Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com.

Stay on top of Patch’s local coverage of Toms RIver by subscribing to the daily newsletter, here.

You can also post your own news, events and announcements on Patch by following these directions. Curious about how our new commenting platform, Disqus, works? Learn more about it here and start interacting with your community.