Crime & Safety

Man Indicted In Hit-And-Run Murder of Girlfriend in Fort Lee

A Bergen County Grand Jury handed up a two-count indictment charging Charles J. Ann with murdering Aena Hong, whom he allegedly ran over with his car multiple times outside the Fort Lee Community Center in February.

FORT LEE - A Fort Lee man was indicted Monday on murder charges in connection with the brutal hit-and-run death of his girlfriend outside the in February, authorities said.

A Bergen County Grand Jury handed up an indictment charging Charles J. Ann, 26, with the murder of 25-year-old Aena Hong, according to Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli.

Ann, who to murdering Hong on Feb. 27, was arrested at about 4 a.m. on Feb. 21, at a friend’s apartment in Flushing, Queens, after a roughly 11-hour manhunt.

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The alleged incident occurred at about 4:55 p.m. Feb. 20, near the intersection of Anderson Avenue and Inwood Terrace in Fort Lee, where Ann allegedly struck Hong with his car, put it in reverse and then ran her over at least three times, according to authorities.

Witnesses reported seeing Ann flee the scene of the alleged attack in his black 2011 Hyundai Sonata before responding officers arrived to find Hong in the road with what authorities called “grave injuries.”

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Hong was transported to Holy Name Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead about an hour later, authorities said.

Police said Ann subsequently ditched his car on 10th Street in Fort Lee.

At the time of his arrest, Ann, an unemployed naturalized U.S. citizen, who had been in the country for about 10 years, had his passport and a large amount of cash in his possession, according to authorities, who said at the time they believed he was planning to flee the country.

The two-count indictment charges Ann with murder and hindering apprehension by concealing evidence, authorities said.

Ann, who is currently being held at the Bergen County Jail in lieu of $3 million bail with no 10 percent bond, is expected to be arraigned within the next six weeks, authorities said.

 

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