Man Slashed Jersey Shore Taxi Driver, Stole His Cab, Police Say

HOWELL, NJ — A man has been arrested in connection with an attack on a taxi driver whose face was slashed and car stolen in Howell in January, Howell police said.

Melvin J. Cruz-Salmoran, 19, was arrested Tuesday in Neptune in the carjacking attack that happened Jan. 16 near Oak Glen Park, police said.

Cruz-Salmoran of Mexico, was arrested by Howell police and the FBI Jersey Shore Safe Streets Task Force, police said. He has been charged with first-degree carjacking, second-degree aggravated assault; third-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and is being held at the Monmouth County jail.

The taxi driver, a 46-year-old man from Asbury Park, remains at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and is stable, Howell police said.

The incident happened shortly after 11 p.m. on Jan. 16. The driver, who works for an Asbury Park-based taxi company, picked up the two men in Neptune and drove them to a parking lot on Preventorium Road across from Oak Glen Park, police said. When they arrived at the parking lot, one of the men slashed the driver across the face with a knife, police said.

The victim ran away toward Old Tavern Road and was found bleeding from his face by a police officer on patrol. The two men took off with the taxi and abandoned it on Maxim Road, police said.

Cruz-Salmoran is accused of slashing the driver; authorities are still searching for the second man, police said.

Three other people were arrested at the Neptune home, accused of trying to conceal Melvin J. Cruz-Salmoran's whereabouts, police said.

• Jose Luis Acevedo Jimenez, 27, from Mexico; police said he is facing federal immigration charges for lying to agents;
• Jovanni Cruz-Salmoran, 29, of Mexico; police said he was arrested on a federal warrant of removal after ICE confirmed his status;
• Jennifer Lopez, 22, of Neptune; she was charged with providing false information and released pending court, police said.

Jose Luis Acevedo Jimenez and Jovanni Cruz-Salmoran were taken to the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement Newark Field Office for processing, Howell police said.

Howell Detective Vincent Bonner is the lead investigator; tips about the second suspect — described at the time as Hispanic, 18 to 24 years old with dark hair, wearing dark clothing and speaking Spanish — can be given by calling Bonner at 732-938-4575, ext. 2647.