Crime & Safety

Middletown Man Pleads Guilty In Multi-town Rampage

Prosecutor's Office to recommend 14 years in prison for attacks on two officers and the man's former girlfriend

A Middletown man on Monday pleaded guilty to attacking his former girlfriend and two police officers in a multi-town rampage, authorities said.

Gregory B. Canova, 38, pleaded guilty to second degree aggravated assault and second degree aggravated assault by eluding before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Ronald L. Reisner, according to a release from the Monmouth County Prosector’s Office.

The Prosecutor’s Office will recommend a 14-year prison sentence – seven years for each charge, to run consecutively. Canova is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 18, 2013, according to the release.  

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Canova is being held at Monmouth County Jail, Freehold Township, on $882,500 cash bail.

The charges stem from a March 25 incident where Canova attacked his former girlfriend in a Wall Township motel room, then chased her down after she fled and intentionally rammed into her car in Sea Girt as she tried to escape with the couple’s 1-year-old daughter in the backseat, the release says.

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In the Route 35 motel room, Canova wrapped a belt and a cell phone charger around the former girlfriend’s neck and tried to choke her in front of the couple’s daughter, the release says.

The woman and the child fled in a car, only to be chased down by Canova, who rammed the car, which spun out of control on Route 71 near Boston Boulevard. Canova left the scene.

Canova was later spotted in Middletown, where he struck one officer with his car and dragged him several feet and then rammed head-on into another Middletown officer’s car before finally being arrested, the release says.

A Middletown officer spotted Canova in the driveway of his home later that morning and attempted to arrest him. Canova fought with the officer, got back into his car and struck the officer, dragging him several feet, the release says.

The officer was later treated at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank, for hand and leg injuries and released, the release says.

A second Middletown officer spotted Canova and chased him through a neighborhood. Canova drove down a residential street, turned around and rammed head-on into the police car, the release says.

That officer was treated at Riverview for back, leg and knee injuries and later released.

Canova again fled in the car, according to the release.

Canova eventually turned down a dead-end street and became stuck when he tried to turn around. He was then arrested after a struggle. When put in the police car, Canova kicked out the rear window, the release says.


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