A Philadelphia resident was arrested Friday after he allegedly attacked a man at a Monmouth County tire shop with a sledgehammer, police said.
Officers were called to Crown Tire on State Route 36 in Middletown and found a a 64-year-old Edison man with significant injuries to his head, the Middletown Police Department said in a statement.
Michael Gonzales, 36, of Philadelphia, had been detained by witnesses at the scene and was taken into custody by police, the department said.
The man who was hit was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment. His condition as of 8 p.m. was unclear.
Gonzales allegedly hit the man in the head multiple times with a handheld sledgehammer. He was also accused of pushing a woman down to the ground during the attack, investigators said. The extent of her injuries were not described by police but she was taken to Hackensack Meridian Health Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank.
Detectives said the attack was not random and that Gonzales knew both victims.
He was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons-related offenses, police said. He is being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institute pending a retention hearing.
Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.
Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
