Maplewood Man Charged With Trying To Carjack DEA Agent In Manhattan: Complaint

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — A Maplewood man has been charged with carjacking and assault on a federal officer after he tried to take an undercover DEA agent's Jeep in New York City earlier this month, according to a criminal complaint filed in Manhattan Federal Court.

The report says that shortly after midnight on Friday, Dec. 9, the undercover agent got into his car in Manhattan after finishing his work shift, to return home.

The complaint says that shortly afterward, the agent was stopped at a red light at 14th Street and Ninth Avenue. At that time, Zachary Bell, 32, of Maplewood went up to the agent's 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee and tried to open the car door, the complaint says.

Bell then yelled "Get the f--k out of the car," according to the criminal complaint, and reached for his waistband.

"At that point, in fear for his safety and life, Victim-1 turned on the police lights in the vehicle, drew his law enforcement firearm, struck Bell in the face, and wrestled Bell to the ground," says the criminal complaint. "Victim-1 then handcuffed Bell and dialed 911."

The New York City police arrived and found a black gravity knife on Bell, says the complaint.

He now faces a charge of attempted carjacking and a charge of assaulting a federal officer, the complaint says.

According to a story in the New York Post on Saturday, Bell was injured badly enough that he needed surgery.

In the story, Bell's lawyer called the matter a "misunderstanding." Patch has reached out to his attorney and will update the story if more information is received.

According to the Post story, Bell works in Manhattan and has never been convicted of a crime.