NJ man who allegedly pointed gun at Whitemarsh officer arrested in Wildwood days before
Reynaldo Figueroa-Ardon, 20
NORTH WILDWOOD, N.J. - A New Jersey man recently charged for allegedly pointing a loaded gun at a Montgomery County police officer's head during an investigation was arrested two days earlier in Wildwood for using a stolen car, authorities said.
Reynaldo Figueroa-Ardon, 20, was picked up by officers in North Wildwood on Monday after residents on the 500 block of 26th Avenue complained of a suspicious vehicle, according to township police.
Responding officers found the vehicle unoccupied, but a registration check showed that the vehicle was reported stolen from Vineland, New Jersey.
Officers later found Figueroa-Ardon, who matched the description given by neighbors, on the 300 block of West 26th Avenue. He allegedly had the keys to the stolen vehicle with him.
Figueroa-Ardon was taken into custody and charged with a third-degree count of Receiving Stolen Property. He was given a court summons and turned over to New Jersey State Police who processed him for another unspecified crime.
Two days later, Figueroa-Ardon was charged with attempted homicide when he allegedly pointed a loaded gun at a Whitemarsh Township police officer and pulled the trigger but the gun did not fire.
Police said Figueroa-Ardon was checking for unlocked cars Wednesday morning near Mulberry Lane. An officer spotted Figueroa-Ardon and tried to stop him when he pulled out a gun and pulled the trigger at least three times.
Police say the gun Figueroa-Ardon had was reported stolen from inside a parked vehicle in Worcester Township Tuesday night. While the gun did not fire, there were bullets in the magazine, according to police.
MORE: NJ man attempted to shoot officer in Montgomery County, gun did not fire, DA says
"All of us in law enforcement are feeling very blessed right now that the defendant wasn’t able to rack a bullet into the chamber of the stolen gun before he pulled the trigger," Steele said. "Thankfully, the police officer went home to his family after this very dangerous incident."
District Attorney Kevin R. Steele on Thursday charged Figueroa-Ardon with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and related offenses.
Figueroa-Ardon is being held at Montgomery County Correctional Facility on $3.5 million cash bail. A preliminary trial is slated for March 24.
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