NJ Transit Moves To Ban Man From Trains After New Sex Charge

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — After a man was accused of inappropriately touching a woman on the Hudson-Bergen Light Trail train Tuesday — just days after his release from jail — NJ Transit has asked a judge to ban him from NJ Transit vehicles for life, the transit agency confirmed Friday.

The incident occurred, according to a release, around 9 p.m. as the train was traveling northbound in Weehawken near the Port Imperial station, two stops after Hoboken.

Police said a man slapped a female passenger on the buttocks and fled the scene. NJ Transit police immediately responded and carried out a thorough search of the area that led to a suspect's arrest.

Darrell Jordan, 25, whose last known address is in Jersey City, was charged with criminal sexual contact and was being held at the Hudson County Jail pending an arraignment.

"I want to thank our officers for their quick actions and outstanding police work to get this suspect off of the transit system and held accountable for his actions," said New Jersey Transit Police Chief Christopher Trucillo, in a release from the public transit agency. "Our officers are working day and night to keep a vigilant watch over the transit system and criminal acts such as this will not be tolerated."

The release said that Jordan had a criminal history that includes 14 arrests by the NJTPD since January 2019, including a charge of criminal sexual contact in June, a charge of lewdness/masturbation in public in August, and similar charges.

He had just been released from jail over the weekend.

An NJ.com story said that at a recent meeting about public transit, Kevin Corbett, NJ Transit CEO and president, said, “...Our police captured him again. But we also went back to a judge and said we want to ban him and never have him ride NJ Transit again.”

The transit agency confirmed the story Friday, saying representatives had spoken to a judge. The judge hasn't decided yet, Corbett said in the NJ.com story.

Carly Baldwin contributed to this story.

Got news? Email caren.lissner@patch.com. To be the first to get news alerts with breaking stories in Hoboken, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.