Justin M. Matthews (Courtesy photo)
Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
A Manville couple was recently taken into police custody after a morning altercation involving a semi-automatic handgun at a Bridgewater Township hotel on Route 22 forced an evacuation of nearby guest rooms.
Justin M. Matthews, 37, and Deborah L. Nickerson, 35, both of Brooks Boulevard, Manville, were apprehended by police after Somerset County Communications received a call that a person had threateningly brandished a gun at a guest at about 8 a.m. on November 9.
According to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, local officers arrived at the scene and spoke with the man who had been threatened in the incident. Officials said the alleged altercation took place in room 226 when Matthews pointed a black handgun at the man.
As a result of the incident, responding officers set up a perimeter around the hotel and
evacuated guests in nearby rooms.
After reaching Matthews via telephone, both Matthews and Nickerson were taken into custody without incident.
Officers on the scene executed a Superior Court Search Warrant on the hotel room, where they found and seized a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, as well as a .32 caliber revolver.
Matthews was charged with two counts of second degree unlawful possession of a weapon, second degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, second degree certain persons not possess weapons and fourth degree aggravated assault.
Nickerson was charged with two counts of second degree unlawful possession of a weapon and second degree certain persons not to possess weapons.
After processing at Bridgewater Township Police headquarters, both Nickerson and Matthews were lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.
