Brick Man Jailed on Kidnapping, Assault Charges

A township man has been arrested and remains behind bars after police say he assaulted his ex-girlfriend, then held her against her will for a day.

Jose Anthony Lopez Jr., 22, of Hooper Avenue, was arrested by Brick police Sunday night.

Brick Police Sgt. Keith Reinhard said Lopez broke a restraining order by visiting a 27-year-old woman, his ex-girlfriend, Saturday night following a conversation between the two where she allowed him to come to her township home. The next morning, he said, Lopez became violent, punching the woman in her face and head and cutting her wrist with a knife.

Over the course of the day, said Reinhard, Lopez would not allow the woman to leave the apartment, except when he accompanied her to a number of local stores. Lopez threatened to kill her if she attempted to call police or mention the incident in public, said Reinhard. He later would not allow her to leave to purchase items for her children, who were not in the home at the time, Reinhard said.

Eventually, Reinhard said, Lopez allowed the woman to go to a relative's home where she called police.

Lopez was arrested about 7 p.m. Sunday at his Hooper Avenue home and charged with kidnapping, terroristic threats, aggravated assault, simple assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purchase, plus a contempt charge for violating a restraining order.

Lopez remains lodged in the Ocean County Jail on $400,000 cash bail.