By: Jeff Sommes
Authorities have announced arrests following a violent carjacking earlier this year that left a taxi driver injured near Oak Glen Park in Neptune, officials said.
The incident occurred on January 16, 2026, when a taxi driver was slashed in the face during a carjacking in the area of the park.
Investigators said the victim was able to escape on foot and was transported to Jersey Shore Medical Center, where he was treated and later listed in stable condition.
The stolen taxi was later located abandoned on Maxim Road.
Following an investigation led by Detective Vincent Bonner, authorities arrested Melvin J. Cruz-Salmoran, 19, on February 3, 2026.
Cruz-Salmoran, described as a foreign national from Mexico with a last known residence in Neptune, was taken into custody with assistance from Howell Police and the FBI Jersey Shore Safe Streets Task Force.
Officials said Cruz-Salmoran faces charges including first-degree carjacking, multiple counts of aggravated assault, and weapons offenses.
He is currently being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution.
At the same location, authorities also took three additional individuals into custody. Jose Luis Acevedo Jimenez, 27, a foreign national from Mexico, was charged federally for allegedly providing false information to law enforcement agents.
Jovanni Cruz-Salmoran, 29, also a foreign national from Mexico, was arrested on a federal warrant of removal after immigration authorities confirmed his status. 
Jennifer Lopez, 22, of Neptune, was charged locally with providing false information and was released pending court proceedings.
The investigation remains active and ongoing as authorities continue searching for a second suspect believed to have been involved in the carjacking.