Man Arrested Outside Fort Lee Elementary School During Drop-Off: Police Facing 14 Charges

Incident Outside Fort Lee Elementary School Leads to 14 Charges

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Fort Lee NJ, A 31-year-old Palisades Park man faces multiple criminal and traffic charges following an incident during morning drop-off outside Fort Lee Elementary School No. 2 on Tuesday.

Authorities identified the suspect as Arthur Kim, who was taken into custody by Fort Lee police officers stationed at the school.

Reckless Driving and Exposure During Morning Drop-Off

According to Fort Lee Police Deputy Chief Edward Young, the incident occurred around 8:17 a.m. while an officer was managing morning traffic flow outside the school.

Police report that a grey Honda driven by Kim disregarded officer commands, bypassed a traffic barricade, and drove onto the sidewalk at a high rate of speed past a “DO NOT ENTER” sign before coming to a stop directly in front of the building.

Upon stopping, Kim pulled down his shorts and underwear, exposing himself and engaging in a lewd act in view of the area, according to police statements.

List of Criminal and Traffic Charges

Kim was taken into custody and remanded to the Bergen County Jail. He faces 14 total charges:

• Sexual Assault

• Lewdness (3 counts)

• Failure to Pull Over for an Emergency Vehicle

• Reckless Driving

• Careless Driving (Likely to endanger person or property)

• Improper Passing

• Failure to Observe Traffic Control Device

• Obstructing Passage of Other Vehicles

• Delaying Traffic

• Traffic on Marked Lanes

• Failure to Have Inspection

• Failure to Possess Driver’s License or Registration

School Operations Resume Under Heightened Security Protocols

Following the arrest, Fort Lee Police Chief Matthew Hintze and Schools Superintendent Diane Collazo coordinated to ensure the safety of students, faculty, and staff. Despite the morning disruption on the third day of the school year, classes proceeded without further incident.

“The safety and security of our schools, students, teachers and employees, are our most important priority,” police officials said in a public statement. “Ensuring a safe learning environment is paramount.”

The Fort Lee Police Department and local school officials continue to investigate the details surrounding the incident.