Crime & Safety
New Jersey Man Charged With Assault in Easton
Police say Daniel Lunden choked a woman on Third Street.
Easton police say an intoxicated 20-year-old New Jersey man choked a woman early Wednesday inside a car, where they found several containers of malt liquor.
The car occupied by the woman and the suspect, Daniel J. Lunden of 148 Axford Ave. in the Warren County community of Oxford, was parked at the Square One gas station/convenience store, 158 S. Third St.
According to a criminal complaint filed by city Patrolman Eric Siegfried, police arrived shortly before 3am and found the pair in a Ford with a Virginia registration. Lunden had the keys and was in the driver’s seat. He smelled of alcohol.
Siegfried said an empty Hurricane bottle and a half-full Hurricane bottle were in “plain view” inside the car. An empty Four Loko can was found during an inventory of the car.
Lunden was unable to successfully complete field coordination exercises.
The woman, meanwhile, said Lunden had choked her. She had several lacerations, abrasions and contusions to her face, and her injuries required medical attention.
A witness told police he saw Lunden choking the woman.
Lunden was charged with one count each of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and driving under influence as a minor (meaning his blood-alcohol level had to be only .02 percent to be considered drunk), and four counts of purchase, consumption, possession and/or transportation of liquor or malt or brewed beverages.
He was arraigned Wednesday by on-duty District Judge Joseph Barner of Lower Nazareth Township and committed to after failing to post $5,000 bail.