SOMERVILLE, N.J. — A 39-year-old Plainfield man was sentenced to 364 days in jail on Friday for assaulting a North Plainfield police officer during a chaotic dirt bike incident on Route 22 in April 2022, authorities said.
Victor Ogando-Marte was convicted of third-degree aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, third-degree resisting arrest, and disorderly persons inflicting bodily injury with a deadly weapon. Judge Peter J. Tober, presiding in Somerset County Superior Court, emphasized the need to deter such conduct at sentencing.
The incident occurred during rush hour on April 13, 2022, when Ogando-Marte and a group of 15 to 20 others were operating dirt bikes illegally and recklessly on Route 22. Testimony revealed the group was weaving through traffic, performing stunts, and obstructing vehicles near the Rock Avenue intersection.
North Plainfield Police Officer James Kirchner attempted to stop Ogando-Marte, who then used his dirt bike to drag the officer from the shoulder into the middle of the highway, inflicting injuries. Ogando-Marte resisted arrest while other dirt bikers circled and attacked the officer, police said.
The situation de-escalated thanks to the intervention of Good Samaritans, 911 callers, off-duty officers, and responding backup. Ogando-Marte was subdued, while the other dirt bikers fled the scene and have not been identified.
The sentence reflects the severity of the assault and the public safety risks associated with reckless dirt bike activity, officials said.