Police: N.J. man hits girlfriend three times with truck, flees
James Crudup, 44, is wanted for attempted murder after allegedly hitting his girlfriend three times with his truck outside a Toms RIver gas station.
An Ocean County man is wanted for attempted murder after allegedly striking his girlfriend three times with his truck early Sunday during a domestic dispute in Toms River.
The incident touched off around 12:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Hess gas station on Route 37, according to a news release from the Toms River Police Department.
James Crudup, 44, and his girlfriend, 35, became involved in a verbal argument that escalated when Crudup allegedly threw the woman to the ground and choked her, police said.
As the woman got up and ran toward the gas pumps, Crudup got into his truck, put it in reverse and drove toward her, according to investigators.
Though a Hess employee tried to push the woman out of the way, the vehicle hit her, leaving her pinned between its bumper and a gas pump, police said.
Crudup then allegedly backed up, momentarily freeing the woman, and drove at her again as she was lying on the ground. Police said he ran over her legs and again struck the gas pumps.
He backed away and drove at the woman once more, striking her a third time, before fleeing west on Route 37, according to investigators.
Medics took the woman to Jersey Shore Medical Center for the treatment of her injuries, which did not appear to be life-threatening, police said.
Prosecutors charged Crudup with attempted murder and multiple motor-vehicle violations, and his bail was set at $500,000 according to investigators.
He remained a fugitive Sunday afternoon.
Crudup, who lives with his girlfriend on the 700 block of Bay Avenue, is described as a 5-foot-10-inch tall black male of about 250 pounds with brown eyes and short black hair. He was last seen driving a 2000 brown Dodge Durango, police said.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911.