Howell Officers Subdue Hammer-Wielding Man: Chief

HOWELL, NJ — Howell police officers subdued a man Friday night who was yelling and waving a hammer around in his family's home, preventing him from injuring his parents.

Howell Township Police Chief Andrew Kudrick Jr. said it took several officers to bring the man, who had previously been charged with attempted murder in 2008 but found not guilty by reason of insanity, under control.

Patrol Officers Ryan Hurley and Dan Murphy responded to the call Friday evening that was made by the parents of the 35-year-old man, Kudrick said.

The man was leaving his bedroom when the officers arrived, Kudrick said.

"At first he was cooperative with the officers but that quickly changed," he said. The man was holding a backpack and tried to reach inside it, and refused commands to stop, so he was physically restrained, Kudrick said. The man continued to try to reach into his pockets and resisted control throughout the incident, he said. "He was eventually able to be secured in handcuffs (it took several officers)," he said.

A search of the man after he was arrested revealed the hammer inside it, Kudrick said, and a tactical style knife was located in his front pants pocket, as well as pepper spray. There was a dagger located just inside of the man's bedroom doorway, he said.

The male was transported to CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, for a crisis evaluation, where he continued to cause problems for staff and security, Kudrick said.

"It was later learned he had been charged with several crimes in 2008, to include two counts of attempted murder, weapons possession, terroristic threats, criminal trespass, and bias intimidation," he said. "He was found not guilty by reason of insanity."

In the Friday incident, the man has been charged with domestic violent harassment, obstruction, resisting, and weapons possession, Kudrick said. Judge Clark placed a ‘no victim contact’ stipulation on the charges, despite the parents’ unwillingness to seek a temporary restraining order or charges, he said.

He said the names are being withheld because of the mental illness history and confidentiality of domestic violence victims.

"This information was released to provide another example of what our officers as well as officers across the country face on an everyday basis," Kudrick said. "Sometimes the endings are tragic. Fortunately, the highly trained officers of this agency were able to resolve it without resulting to a higher level force."

Photo via Howell Police