Bridgewater Granny Charged in Shooting

By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

In a struggle for his life, A 43-year-old Bridgewater man had to strong arm his elderly neighbor after she fired her Smith and Wesson six-shot .22 caliber revolver at him as he sat in his tractor front loader Tuesday morning.

Rosalyn M. Valachovic, 69, of Bridgewater was arrested June 1, at her residence and taken to a local hospital before being transported to the Bridgewater Township Police Department where she was charged with Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose, 2nd degree; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, 2nd degree and Aggravated Assault, 4th degree, said the Messenger-Gazette.


According to police, two of Valachovic's neighbors made 911 calls alleging that the elderly woman had attacked one and shot at the other. The female neighbor reported that Valachovic attacked her. Within minutes, Bridgewater Police received a second call from the male neighbor reporting that Valachovic had fired at the ground near his Kubota front loader tractor as he sat in it.


The 43-year-old male stated that Valachovic then raised her gun and pointed it towards the direction of his head. The victim said he then jumped from the tractor and attempted to grab the gun from Valachovic. During a struggle between the victim and Valachovic for control of the weapon, Valachovic fired another shot toward the victim, who was able to disarm Valachovic. He then returned to his home where he telephoned police. When police arrived, the victim told them what happened and turned the .22 caliber revolver over to them.


Police has not identified the victims, both of Bridgewater Township. Neither was injured during the early morning shooting, but Valachovic, received an injury to her right arm during the struggle and was treated and released from a local hospital before being processed at the Bridgewater Police Department where she later posted $15,000 bail with the condition that she not make any contact with the victim.


Once at the station, Valachovic, who will turn 70 on June 10, was read her Miranda rights about making self-incriminating statements. She then admitted to police that she fired the gun at the tires of the victim's tractor to stop the tractor and to scare the victim.


According to an article by MyCentralJersey.com acting Somerset County Prosecutor A. Peter DeMarco, Jr. told the media that Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Squad and the Forensics and Crime Scene Unit (C.S.I.) are assisting in the on-going investigation of the Mt. Prospect Road shooting.