Wall Carjacking Left One Friend Stranded On Highway: Police

WALL, NJ — A man reported a carjacking to police Sunday after he was left on the side of Highway 195 by the men he was traveling with, Wall police said.

The three men were driving to Asbury Park at about 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28, when police received a report of a carjacking at Highway 195 at Highway 34, police said.

The victim reported his car as stolen by two male passengers. The three occupants all knew each other and were traveling to Asbury Park when this incident occurred. The victim was left on the side of the road, uninjured, police said.

The stolen vehicle was located shortly after in Asbury Park by the Asbury Park Police.

“While this incident is very alarming, it is important that the public knows the three men involved knew each other and this wasn’t a random act of violence,” Chief Sean O’Halloran said.

Charged are: Biagio Toto, 25, of Plainsboro in Middlesex County and Nicholas Grande, 28, of Belle Mead in Somerset County. They were both arrested after the car was located, police said.

Toto was charged with first-degree carjacking; third-degree theft of a motor vehicle; third-degree receiving stolen property; and three counts of possession of CDS (third degree) and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia (a disorderly persons offense), police said. Toto was processed and remanded to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold.

Grande was charged with third-degree receiving stolen property; two counts of possession of CDS (third degree); possession of drug paraphernalia (disorderly persons offense); and two counts of failure to make lawful disposition (disorderly persons offense), police said. Following processing, Grande was released on a summons.

The incident is being investigated by members of the Wall Township Patrol and Detective
Divisions.