A homeless Lyndhurst man, best known for being charged in 2021 with seriously vandalizing the township’s Sept. 11, 2001, monument, finds himself on the wrong side of the law once again, and this time, it’s even more serious than his last foray with the Lyndhurst Police Department, Det. Lt. Vincent Auteri said.
Alfredo Acevedo, 28, who Auteri says has, for many years, loitered at and around the 425 Valley Brook Ave. Dunkin, was taken into custody by police Monday, Dec. 19, after he reportedly threatened to kill a Dunkin employee — then later that same night, came back to pummel the man mercilessly, so badly the man, who only has sight in one eye, may lose sight in the other.
Police were called to the Dunkin at around 10:15 p.m. and learned what Acevedo is alleged to have done to to victim, 54.
There was about 75 minutes in-between Acevedo reportedly threatening to the man and when he returned to the donut shop, went behind the counter and assaulted the defenseless man.
In addition to potentially blinding the man in his one functioning eye, Auteri says Acevedo reportedly broke the man’s nose. Ultimately, it was another patron at Dunkin who alerted police to the ongoing situation.
Acevedo reportedly fled after the assault, but didn’t get too far, Auteri says.
Officer Robert Litterio found Acevedo not far from the Dunkin, arrested him and charged him with aggravated assault, stalking, making terroristic threats, criminal mischief and shoplifting a bottle of soda from the store’s display case.
In the past, Acevedo has been transported to New Bridge in Paramus for psychiatric evaluation, but this time he was instead remanded to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack.
Auteri says because of the seriousness of the crimes he is alleged to have committed, prosecutors will seek to detain Acevedo this time, without bail, until his case is adjudicated.
“His destruction of the monument, thought bad, is somewhat different than this,” Auteri said. “Normally, he’d go to New Bridge then sign himself out. But this crime is alarming. It’s the first time he’s shown these kinds of behaviors. Causing seriously bodily injury is absolutely a cause for serious concern. It’s alarming.”
Auteri says a determination as to whether he will get bail will likely be dependent on the ultimate outcome of the victim’s medical treatment.
Click here to read the story from 2021 where Acevedo was nabbed vandalizing Lyndhurst’s Sept. 11 monument.
Learn more about the writer ...
Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.