By JOHN T. WARD
An Eatontown man required surgery following an alleged assault on West Front Street in Red Bank early Thursday, police said.
A suspect was taken into custody after police located him more about an hour later, Chief Darren McConnell told redbankgreen.
According to McConnell, police responded to the 2:20 a.m. call reporting an altercation to find the 33-year-old victim lying on West Front Street near Broad Street and suffering a “serious” head injury. The alleged assailant had fled the scene, he said.
The victim, whose name police are withholding, was transported to Riverview Medical Center, a block away, where he underwent surgery, the chief said.
Meantime, an investigation on the scene turned up evidence identifying a possible suspect, McConnell said. On surveillance, Patrolmen Darren McConnell (the chief’s son) and Patrick Kennedy stopped Samuel Benitez, 18, of Staten Island, on Riverside Avenue at about 3:30 a.m., the chief said.
Benitez was initially charged with DWI. The ensuing investigation led by Detective James Deponte resulted in an addition charge of aggravated second-degree assault, McConnell said.
Red Bank police were planning to transfer Benitez to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution late Thursday afternoon, McConnell said.
The victim was reported to be in stable condition, he said.
