16-year-old charged with throwing bottle that nearly blinded NJ firefighter
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A 16-year-old boy was arrested in Garfield, N.J. Tuesday and charged with throwing a bottle at a fire truck, and leaving a volunteer firefighter with eye injuries that nearly left her blind.
The boy, whose name was not released, was charged as a juvenile with second-degree aggravated assault and third-degree interference with transportation, Garfield police said.
An additional charge of criminal mischief was also pending upon repair of the fire truck.
The volunteer fire department was responding to a report of a possible fire at Wal-Mart Friday night at around 10:10 p.m. when the bottle struck.
Firefighter Victoria Kovacs suffered corneal abrasions when the rear window of Engine #2 shattered, propelling bits of glass into both eyes that required hospitalization.
Kovacs, 22, and a five-year volunteer of the department, was forced to take time off work and is still recovering from her injuries.
