Off-Duty Aberdeen Cop Hospitalized After Hit-And-Run: Police

Freehold NJ

23 February, 2022

11:04 AM

Description

FREEHOLD, NJ — A Middlesex County man has been arrested and charged in connection with a hit-and-run that left an off-duty Aberdeen officer hospitalized, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced Wednesday. Christopher Uszenski, 49, of Old Bridge, was charged with first-degree attempted murder and third-degree knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle collision with serious bodily injury, Linskey said. Lt. Craig Hausmann, 42, was seriously injured at about 12:15 p.m. Monday when he tried to stop a motorist who was driving erratically near North Concourse and Wayside Drive in the Cliffwood Beach section of Aberdeen, Linskey said. Hausmann was off duty at the time, she said. Members of the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team (SCART) and Keyport and Old Bridge police departments were able to identify Uszenski and his vehicle, a Nissan Altima. He was found on Pomona Boulevard in Old Bridge shortly after, Linksey said. "Lt. Hausmann remains hospitalized in stable condition, and on behalf of the entire department, we extend to him our very best well-wishes," Chief Matthew Lloyd said. "Despite being off duty, he nonetheless was leveraging his many years of experience in vigilantly seeking to keep his community safe at the time of his injury, and we cannot commend those efforts enough." Uszenski is being held at the Monmouth County jail in Freehold Township, pending a first appearance in Monmouth County Superior Court. If convicted on the attempted murder charge, he would face up to 20 years in prison. If anyone has any information about or witnessed any portion of this incident, they are urged to contact Detective Thomas Manzo of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office at (800) 533-7443.