Palisades Park, NJ – A 40-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly throwing a rock through the window of a school bus on the New Jersey Turnpike, an attack that left an 8-year-old girl with a fractured skull.
Authorities identified the suspect as Hernando Garciamorales, of Palisades Park. Investigators say he hurled a baseball-sized rock at the moving school bus, striking the child in the head. The girl was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she remains in critical but stable condition.
Garciamorales has been identified as being an illegal alien from Mexico, living illegally under New Jersey’s sanctuary state Immigrant Trust Direct rules set by Governor Phil Murphy.
Garciamorales was located and arrested at a self-made campsite inside Old Croaker County Park in Bergen County following a multi-agency search. Police say he resisted arrest and attempted to flee before being taken into custody.
He now faces multiple charges including aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, and hindering apprehension.
Detectives later linked Garciamorales to a string of similar rock-throwing incidents in nearby Bogota. Authorities believe he may have been targeting passing vehicles and structures in the area over several weeks.
The New Jersey State Police and Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office are continuing to investigate the motive behind the attack. The school district involved has provided counseling support for students who witnessed the incident and is reviewing safety protocols for transportation routes.
