Special2bme
February 26th, 2009, 02:30 PM
MONROE — Two area men face attempted murder charges after police say they lured a man into a wooded area and beat him with a hammer.
Ken Rittman, 44, of East Brunswick and James Christos, 44, of Edison are being held without bail in connection with the Feb. 18 attack.
The victim, 42, told police the two men brought him into a wooded area late that night in order to sell him a boat, Detective Robert Bennett said. After finding that there was no boat, the South Brunswick man said, he was struck repeatedly with a lump hammer, suffering blunt force trauma to the head, face and body.
A lump hammer has the head of a small sledge hammer with a short handle.
Police said the victim then flagged down an officer on Spotswood Englishtown Road and Matchaponix Avenue, near the wooded area, at about 11 p.m. He was taken to Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, where detectives saw and arrested Rittman.
He said he was at the emergency room after having tripped and hit his head on a log, but police said the injury was suffered during the attack.
Christos was arrested some time the following day at his home on New York Boulevard in Edison, Bennett said.
Both were taken to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick, also facing charges of aggravated assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and criminal attempt. Officials there said Christos was released Monday after posting $250,000 bond. Rittman was still being held with no bail Wednesday.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090226/CRIME/90226004/1003/RSS01
Ken Rittman, 44, of East Brunswick and James Christos, 44, of Edison are being held without bail in connection with the Feb. 18 attack.
The victim, 42, told police the two men brought him into a wooded area late that night in order to sell him a boat, Detective Robert Bennett said. After finding that there was no boat, the South Brunswick man said, he was struck repeatedly with a lump hammer, suffering blunt force trauma to the head, face and body.
A lump hammer has the head of a small sledge hammer with a short handle.
Police said the victim then flagged down an officer on Spotswood Englishtown Road and Matchaponix Avenue, near the wooded area, at about 11 p.m. He was taken to Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, where detectives saw and arrested Rittman.
He said he was at the emergency room after having tripped and hit his head on a log, but police said the injury was suffered during the attack.
Christos was arrested some time the following day at his home on New York Boulevard in Edison, Bennett said.
Both were taken to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick, also facing charges of aggravated assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and criminal attempt. Officials there said Christos was released Monday after posting $250,000 bond. Rittman was still being held with no bail Wednesday.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090226/CRIME/90226004/1003/RSS01