Victim escaped at Bloomsbury rest stop after alleged cross-country assault
Hunterdon County, NJ – A Florida man has been charged in connection with a kidnapping that spanned multiple states and ended when the victim escaped at a truck stop in Hunterdon County, authorities announced.
Asad Hasanov, 31, of Wesley Chapel, Florida, is accused of abducting the victim after the two met online and arranging to meet in Akron, Ohio on March 4. Prosecutors allege Hasanov restrained the victim with tape and transported them across state lines while committing repeated sexual assaults.
Victim escapes during stop in New Jersey
“On March 5, 2026, at the TA Truck Stop in Bloomsbury, New Jersey, Mr. Hasanov allowed the victim to use the restroom. The victim then approached the information desk and reported the kidnapping,” the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office stated.
New Jersey State Police responded to the scene and transported the victim to Hunterdon Medical Center for evaluation.
Key Points
- Florida man charged after alleged kidnapping spanning Ohio to New Jersey
- Victim escaped and reported incident at Bloomsbury truck stop
- Suspect later arrested in Hillsborough and released pending trial
Suspect released under pretrial monitoring
Investigators later located Hasanov inside a vehicle in Hillsborough, New Jersey, where he was taken into custody without incident.
He has been charged with first-degree kidnapping, third-degree criminal restraint, and fourth-degree tampering with evidence. Despite a motion from prosecutors to detain him, a judge ordered Hasanov released under pretrial monitoring. He is scheduled to appear in court April 13.
The case remains under investigation, and authorities are asking anyone with information to come forward.