Wyckoff Man Tried to Push 7, 9 Year Olds in Front of Moving Train, Cops Say

A Wyckoff man was charged with attempted murder after he allegedly tried to push two Glen Rock boys in front of a moving train at the Ramsey Main Street train station,  Chief Bryan Gurney said Tuesday.

David Howard, 48 of Wyckoff, was arrested Monday afternoon after allegedly grabbing two passengers waiting for the train and “moving them towards the train tracks while the train was still moving towards the station,” Gurney said. Howard was charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault and aggravated assault on a police officer, according to Ramsey Police.

The passengers, 7- and 9-year-old brothers from Glen Rock, were waiting for the train with their mother and grandmother when the two got up to get a better view of the approaching train, police said.

Howard allegedly grabbed the 7-year-old in a headlock and the 9-year-old by the shoulder and dragged them toward the train, Gurney said.

The boys’ "mother and grandmother immediately were able to stop Howard from moving the children towards the track. The children were able to break away from Howard and the mother and grandmother tackled Howard and held him until the police arrived,” Gurnery said.

Howard appeared to be intoxicated and possibly under the influence of other drugs at the time of the incident, police said.

Ramsey officer Thomas Banta, Lt. David Stitz and Sgt. Timothy Flanagan responded to the scene Labor Day afternoon. During the arrest, Howard allegedly spit in Banta’s face, police said.

Howard has been remanded to the Bergen County Jail on $500,000 bail.

The incident is still under investigation by the Ramsey PD and the New Jersey Transit Police Department, under the command of Chief Christopher Trucillo.

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