Forked River – Richard Malfitano Jr. of Forked River is facing charges for the alleged bias intimidation of two Orthodox Jewish men, ages 64 and 70, at the Cheesequake Service Area on the Garden State Parkway in Middlesex County.
Malfitano, 37, turned himself in to troopers at Holmdel Station on the parkway, the State Police announced Friday. He also is facing assault and criminal mischief charges.
The State Police said the incident began as an argument over how close the men parked to Malfitano’s car and that one of the men allegedly hit Malfitano’s car when he opened a door to the vehicle he was traveling in.
Allegedly, Malfitano verbally accosted the two men who were dressed in black clothing identifying their religion. He struck one of the men in the face and then broke the driver’s side mirror off the car in which they were traveling. His license place led to his identification by the victims and witnesses. The charges will be heard in Sayreville Municipal Court.
