Thread: Merchant, dad fight off knife attack by illegal immigrant

Merchant, dad fight off knife attack by robber
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 08/26/07

BY STAFF REPORT
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NEPTUNE — A robber tried to strangle a deli owner and then attacked the owner and his father with a knife, police said.

Lionediz Hernandez, 33, who lives on Third Avenue in Asbury Park, was arrested Friday and charged with robbery and two counts of aggravated assault. He also was charged with two counts unlawful possession of a weapon and three counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Police said he described himself as a Mexican national in this country illegally.

The incident occurred shortly after 9:30 a.m. Friday when Hernandez tried to rob Romish Amin, 50, owner of the Hamilton Deli, at the intersection of Route 33 and Old Corlies Avenue in Neptune, police said.

Police said Hernandez entered the store, approached the owner from behind, slipped a heavy-duty bootlace around his neck and tried to choke him. The owner resisted. When the storeowner's father, 76-year-old Harshad Amin, intervened, Hernandez picked up a knife from the deli counter and began to slash and stab at the victims, police said. The owner and his father suffered lacerations to their bodies and head. Hernandez ran from the store and was pursued by the storeowner.

A passerby called 911 on his cell phone. Police responded and helped the victims and searched the area for the suspect. Information from a witness led police to the wooded area behind Holy Innocents School. Hernandez was found about 10 minutes later by Patrolmen William Kirchner and Jeremiah Clark of the Quality-of-Life team and taken into custody.

The Hamilton First Aid Squad transported both victims to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

Following the state Attorney General's recent directive on incidents involving illegal immigrants, the township police notified Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the Judiciary of Hernandez's arrest and of his self-described immigration status.

Hernandez was being held in Monmouth County Jail in Freehold in lieu of $450,000 bail.

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Just the type of person we need in our country.