Lyndhurst police said a long-term dating relationship turned sour, leading the male partner to allegedly force the female partner into a car and drive away with her against her will, only to be captured later in Bergen County.
Det. Lt. Vincent Auteri said the episode began as the pair were attending the New York Football Giants game Sunday (Sept. 12) at MetLife Stadium in the meadowlands and engaged in a dispute.
Auteri said the pair ended up in the parking lot of the Vermella Lyndhurst apartment complex on Orient Avenue, where, he said, a witness saw the man grab the woman, forcibly shove her into the back of their vehicle and then speed away north on Orient.
After getting a description of the vehicle – a 2019 Chevy Blazer – from the witness, Lyndhurst PD then broadcast a regional alert to regional law enforcement agencies, Auteri said. The vehicle was registered to the woman, he said.
About an hour later, the Port Authority Police Department notified Lyndhurst PD they had spotted the car – with the man and woman inside – parked at a location in Ridgefield Park, Auteri said.
Lyndhurst PD went to the location where they collected the two individuals, both of whom showed signs of bodily injuries, according to Auteri. Both were taken to Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck, for treatment and later released, he said.
After getting an account of the incident from the woman, police placed the man, identified as Iran Iznaga Garabito, 25, of Secaucus, under arrest. He was charged with kidnapping, criminal restraint, aggravated assault on a domestic violence victim with other charges still pending.
He was then taken to Bergen County Jail pending a hearing in Bergen County Superior Court. Auteri said the woman successfully applied for a restraining order against the man.
Learn more about the writer ...
Ron Leir | For The Observer
Ron Leir has been a newspaperman since the late ’60s, starting his career with The Jersey Journal, having served as a summer reporter during college. He became a full-time scribe in February 1972, working mostly as a general assignment reporter in all areas except sports, including a 3-year stint as an assistant editor for entertainment, features, religion, etc.
He retired from the JJ in May 2009 and came to The Observer shortly thereafter.
He is also a part-time actor, mostly on stage, having worked most recently with the Kearny-based WHATCo. and plays Sunday softball in Central Park, New York