Lakewood Man Accused Of Attacking, Trying To Kidnap Nurse: Police

HOWELL, NJ — A Lakewood man has been charged with attempted kidnapping after he showed up at the home of a Howell nurse who had treated him at the hospital the night before, Howell police said.

Leonardo Larrarte, 37, of Lakewood, was arrested following the incident that happened Friday, Howell police said.

Police received multiple 911 calls about a disturbance at a home on Newtons Corner Road in the Ramtown section about 3:30 p.m.

The victim, a nurse at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus, told police she heard a knock at the door and by the time she got downstairs, her 64-year-old woman had let Larrarte in the house. She realized Larrarte was a patient she had admitted the previous evening and demanded he leave, but Larrarte refused, police said.

Larrarte assaulted the nurse's mother and then attacked the nurse, police said; the nurse's friend who was upstairs and heard the assault, called 911 but didn't know the house number. While police were on the way to the area where the 911 call came from, Larrarte continued to assault the nurse, claiming she was his wife and demanding she come with him or he would kill her mother, police said.

The nurse grabbed a knife from the kitchen and tried to defend herself by stabbing Larrarte, but he was able to avoid being stabbed but he continued to punch and choke the nurse, police said. When she refused to stop fighting back, Larrarte left. Neighbors who heard the commotion called 911.

When police arrived, they found the nurse with her clothing torn and bleeding while holding ice to her face, police said. Larrarte was located within minutes by Sgt. Nicholas Bondarew and K-9 Vito after the nurse described him, police said. The nurse and her mother were treated at a local hospital and released.

Larrarte has been charged with first-degree attempted kidnapping, second-degree burglary, third-degree terroristic threats, fourth-degree possession of synthetic marijuana and simple assault, Howell police said. He is being held at the Monmouth County jail pending a detention hearing.

Authorities are continuing to investigate how Larrarte found out where the nurse lived; police said he did provide a statement implicating himself.

"We seized his two cellphones as part of the investigation," police said, adding that the department has the technology to analyze cellphones."

"Our homes are our sanctuary," Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick Jr. said. "A place that should always be safe. No one should have to go through such a traumatic, life-altering incident such as this. Fortunately, she fought back and refused to quit. As a result she survived."

"Predators such as Larrarte should never be allowed to see another day of freedom to victimize another innocent person," Kudrick said.

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