Man With Autism Spent 13 Days In Bergen County Jail For 'Singing Songs,' Muttering: Suit

HO-HO-KUS, NJ — A Ho-Ho-Kus man who's on the autism spectrum has filed a lawsuit against his hometown, saying police put him in the county jail for 13 days because he was "singing songs" and muttering.

William Krywos filed the suit on May 29 in Bergen County Superior Court.

According to the suit, based on neighbors' surveillance video of Krywos' "bodily movements" and "singing songs," police arrested him at his home on June 13, 2024. They charged him with harassment, stalking, and contempt.

Krywos was held in the Bergen County Jail until June 26, the suit says.

Police withheld details that would have helped him beat the charges, and he had to hire a lawyer to fight, the suit argues.

The case was dismissed by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office on Nov. 18, after all the information was reviewed, the suit says.

'Vulgar Language'

The suit says that Krywos' neighbors didn't observe his activity, but contacted police after their video showed him "singing songs" and using "vulgar language" while muttering.

The police should have known about his disability, and there was no probably cause to detain him, lawyers argue. Ho-Ho-Kus was designated a "stigma free zone," the suit notes, meaning the town has passed a resolution to eliminate mental health discrimination and train employees about mental health illness and stereotypes.

Krywos' suit cites the 4th and 14th amendments about being free of unreasonable seizures, saying the arrest violated his rights. He's looking for compensatory damages and legal costs.

Krywos' lawyer, Diane Lucianna, said Monday that her client had done nothing wrong.

"Mr. Krywos has lived all his life in Ho-ho-kus," she said. "The residents and police all know him as the town oddball. He has Asperger’s, on the autism spectrum. He is in his 50s and never received special education growing up in the ‘70s. He’s never had a job. He stays to himself and works around his very humble family home."

She added, "He rakes and mows his lawn. He takes care of his bedridden elderly mother. The [neighbor's cameras capture] everything he says or does on that side of his own property ... Hohokus claims to be a stigma - free zone (trained in dealing with people with mental health issues) but they have no tolerance for my client who doesn’t fit the upper middle class mold."

She acknowledged that years ago, Krywos was part of another case involving neighbors.

As part of his probation, she said, he has to stay on his medication, which he does.

Ho-Ho-Kus Borough Administrator William Jones said Monday that local officials could not comment on pending litigation.