Frederick D. Penamartinez was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer early Friday morning, Oct. 9, 2026, after allegedly pushing and grabbing a Lyndhurst police lieutenant by his outer carrier vest, according to a report by The Observer.
The 911 Call and Arrival at Fifth Avenue
The incident began at 1:21 a.m. when officers Lt. Francis O’Rourke, Officer Anthony Morreale, and Officer Jorge Fernandez responded to an area near 500 Fifth Ave. A caller had contacted 911 to report an attack, but quickly hung up the phone without giving dispatchers any additional information.
Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Morreale spotted two men standing in the street. One of the men immediately walked west down Fifth Ave., ignoring the officer’s verbal commands to stop.
Confrontation and Physical Altercation on the Street
As Officer Morreale attempted to speak with the man walking away, Frederick D. Penamartinez approached Lt. O’Rourke with clenched fists in an aggressive manner, displaying a threatening gesture. When Lt. O’Rourke tried to speak with him directly in front of 500 Fifth Ave., Penamartinez pushed the lieutenant and grabbed his outer carrier vest.
Backup officers intervened before the physical confrontation could escalate further, bringing Penamartinez to the ground where both officers immediately handcuffed him.
Booking and Jail Lodging After Medical Clearance
Police stated that Penamartinez was highly intoxicated at the time of the arrest. He received medical clearance before being transported and lodged in the Bergen County Jail on a complaint warrant for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.
“Being under the influence is no excuse for poor decisions, and assaulting a law enforcement officer in Lyndhurst will not be tolerated,” Deputy Chief of Police Paul Haggerty said, according to The Observer report. “If you elect to assault one of our officers, you will be charged without question. I commend both officers for immediately taking control and affecting Penamartinez’s arrest before he assaulted anyone else.”
