A 34-year-old woman was physically and sexually assaulted by an unknown man who approached her from behind near the intersection of Park Way and Rogers Avenue in Hightstown, New Jersey, prompting police to increase patrols and search for additional victims. The attack happened at approximately 7:30 p.m. Friday, and it is now one of two reported sexual assaults in the small borough that investigators are working to determine are connected.
According to CBS Philadelphia, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office reported the assault of the 34-year-old woman, and police say they are investigating whether it is connected to a second assault that occurred months earlier in Hightstown. The earlier incident is described only as having occurred months earlier, and both cases are now part of active investigations, the station reports. The September 11 assault was pinpointed by Centraljersey.com as occurring near Park Way and Rogers Avenue.
Investigators Lean on County and State Partners
The probe into both incidents is being handled jointly by the Hightstown Police Department and the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office Special Victims Unit, per Centraljersey.com's reporting. Local, county, state and federal law enforcement partners are assisting with the investigations, according to the station's report, reflecting the scale of resources being devoted to identifying a suspect. That level of outside support isn't surprising given the size of the department involved: Hightstown Police operates as a municipal force staffed by approximately 14 to 15 sworn officers, per PoliceApp, a roster that would be stretched thin running a multi-incident sexual assault investigation without county-level backup.
Hightstown Police Chief Frank Gendron released a statement addressing the assaults, according to CBS Philadelphia, saying the events may cause fear and concern among residents but that Hightstown remains a safe community. “No place is entirely free from crime,” Gendron said, per the station's report. Police have asked residents to travel with others whenever possible and to remain aware of their surroundings as the investigations continue.
A Small Borough Where Alerts Travel Fast
Hightstown Borough has 1.23 square miles of land and 1.27 square miles of total area and is entirely surrounded by East Windsor Township, according to Wikipedia. The 2020 U.S. Census recorded a population of 5,900 in the borough, giving it a density of more than 4,400 residents per square mile, per the U.S. Census Bureau. That tight geographic footprint places the intersection within the borough, and authorities have also encouraged residents in East Windsor Township to remain aware.
Anyone with information has been asked to contact Mercer County Prosecutor's Office Detective Natalie Martinez at 609-331-4318 or SVU Sgt. Sherika Salmon at 609-960-3119, according to CBS Philadelphia. Authorities have also set up an online tip portal at mercercountyprosecutor.com/tips that allows anonymous submissions around the clock, per Centraljersey.com. Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey leads the office, according to Patch.
What New Jersey Law Says About Sexual Assault Charges
Under New Jersey statute N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2, sexual assault is classified as a second-degree crime carrying five to 10 years in prison, while aggravated sexual assault is a first-degree crime punishable by 10 to 20 years or life imprisonment, according to Justia Law. The cited reports do not discuss potential charges or aggravating circumstances. Sexual assault convictions in New Jersey also fall under the state's No Early Release Act, which requires offenders to serve at least 85% of their prison sentence before becoming eligible for parole, per the Law Office of Zapicchi & Liller, LLP.
No suspect description has been publicly released, and it remains unclear whether the two Hightstown assaults, occurring months apart, are the work of the same person. Police say they are actively investigating that possibility while urging residents across the borough and surrounding East Windsor Township to stay alert and avoid walking alone until more is known.
