Hernando Garcia-Morales, 40, was arrested after a baseball-sized rock allegedly struck a New Jersey school bus on Jan. 7, fracturing an 8-year-old girl’s skull and requiring surgery. He faces multiple state charges and, according to DHS, is in the U.S. illegally; ICE has lodged an arrest detainer. Authorities say he has a criminal history dating back to 2006 and has admitted to this and other local rock-throwing incidents. A judge ordered he remain in Bergen County Jail while the investigation and court proceedings continue.
Undocumented Man Accused Of Hurling Rock At New Jersey School Bus; 8-Year-Old Sustains Skull Fracture
A New Jersey girl was injured when a rock was thrown through the window of a school bus returning from a field trip, authorities said.(Fox News)
Federal and local authorities say Hernando Garcia-Morales, 40, of Palisades Park, N.J., has been arrested and charged after a rock struck a school bus on Jan. 7, breaking a window and seriously injuring an 8-year-old passenger.
Incident
Third-grade students were returning to Yeshivat Noam in Paramus from a class trip to the Liberty Science Center when a baseball-sized rock smashed through a bus window on the northbound New Jersey Turnpike, authorities said. An 8-year-old girl suffered a skull fracture and required surgery, officials reported.
Arrest And Charges
New Jersey Turnpike State Police arrested Garcia-Morales on Jan. 9. He faces multiple state charges including aggravated assault, resisting arrest and possession of a weapon. The Bogota Police Department also charged him with aggravated assault, criminal trespassing (defiant), criminal trespassing (peering) and criminal mischief for property damage.
Immigration Status And Federal Response
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged an arrest detainer for Garcia-Morales and identified him as a Mexican national in the United States illegally. DHS officials told reporters they believe his previous arrests and the state’s sanctuary policies prevented his earlier removal. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the attack, calling it "extremely wicked and heinous," and said ICE has lodged a detainer to keep him off the streets.
Background And Prior Records
DHS said Garcia-Morales has a criminal history spanning roughly two decades. Media reports and court records cite a 2006 arrest for weapons possession and theft. In 2023, police in Hackensack arrested him on burglary-related allegations; prosecutors later declined to pursue some charges. A municipal court conviction resulted in a reduced charge of disorderly conduct, carrying a 30-day sentence and a $905 fine, according to local records.
Investigation And Current Status
School officials said authorities informed them that Garcia-Morales admitted to the Turnpike incident and to several other rock-throwing incidents in the area. On Jan. 16 a superior court judge ordered him to remain held in Bergen County Jail pending further proceedings. Local law enforcement and prosecutors continue to investigate the Jan. 7 attack and related incidents. Separately, the Justice Department last year sued four New Jersey municipalities, alleging that their sanctuary policies obstruct federal immigration enforcement.
Note: The events described are based on statements from law enforcement and DHS, court records, and local reporting. The accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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