Two illegals arrested in violent carjacking case in howell township — howell township police

HOWELL TOWNSHIP, NJ – A late-night carjacking that left a taxi driver slashed in the face has led to the arrests of several suspects, including multiple foreign nationals now facing both criminal and immigration charges, police announced Tuesday.

According to the Howell Township Police Department, the incident occurred on January 16 around 11:15 p.m. when officers patrolling Old Tavern Road discovered a bleeding man in distress. The 46-year-old victim, a taxi driver for an Asbury Park-based company, told police he had been attacked by two male passengers at the end of a fare. One of the men reportedly produced a knife and slashed him across the face before both suspects fled the scene in his taxi.

The assault and car theft triggered a rapid police response. Officers recovered the abandoned taxi a short time later on Maxim Road, launching a perimeter search with K-9 units. Despite the swift action, the assailants initially escaped. The victim was transported to Jersey Shore Medical Center, where he was treated for a severe facial laceration and later listed in stable condition.

Following an intensive two-week investigation, Howell Police Detective Vincent Bonner identified 19-year-old Melvin J. Cruz-Salmoran, a Mexican national last known to reside in Neptune Township, as one of the alleged attackers. Cruz-Salmoran was charged with first-degree carjacking, second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

On February 3, Detective Bonner, accompanied by the FBI’s Jersey Shore Safe Streets Task Force, executed a coordinated arrest operation at a Neptune Township residence. According to police, Cruz-Salmoran was found hiding in the home as others attempted to conceal his location. Agents and detectives arrested Cruz-Salmoran without further incident, taking three additional individuals into custody on related charges.

Authorities say Jose Luis Acevedo Jimenez, 27, also a Mexican national, was charged with lying to federal agents and is now facing immigration proceedings. Jennifer Lopez, 22, of Neptune Township, was arrested for allegedly providing false information to police and later released pending a court hearing. Jovanni Cruz-Salmoran, 29, another Mexican national and believed to be related to Melvin Cruz-Salmoran, was arrested by federal agents on a separate immigration warrant of removal after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed his status.

Melvin Cruz-Salmoran was processed at Howell Township Police Headquarters before being transferred to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, where he remains held pending a detention hearing. Jimenez and Jovanni Cruz-Salmoran were turned over to ICE’s Newark Field Office for processing.

Detective Bonner said the second male suspect involved in the carjacking has not yet been identified, and the investigation remains active. Police are urging anyone with information to contact Detective Bonner at 732-938-4575, ext. 2647.

• Melvin J. Cruz-Salmoran, 19, charged with violent carjacking and aggravated assault.
• Multiple foreign nationals arrested; ICE detainers issued for immigration violations.
• Howell Police and FBI task force continue searching for the second suspect.

Under New Jersey law, carjacking is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. The aggravated assault and weapons charges add potential decades more if convicted.

Howell Township Police praised the collaborative effort between local detectives, federal agents, and the FBI task force, noting that the arrests underscore the importance of interagency coordination in tackling violent crime. “This was a dangerous attack on a working man simply doing his job,” one official said. “The cooperation between agencies made a quick arrest possible.”

Despite the arrests, investigators stress that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The search for the second assailant continues.

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