Wallington veteran once suspected of planning GWB attack to be released from custody

A U.S. Army veteran once suspected of plotting an attack on the George Washington Bridge will be released from jail after spending 600 days in custody, a Bergen County judge ruled Thursday. 

Rather than await trial in the Bergen County Jail while suffering from what the judge called “significant mental health issues,” Daniel Czerepak, of Wallington, will instead wear an ankle bracelet at home under the supervision of his parents, according to the ruling. 

Despite facing only minor charges related to trespassing on the GWB, Czerepak, 30, had remained jailed for nearly two years after the court declared him a potential danger to the public. Prosecutors feared the recently discharged veteran was doing "reconnaissance" on the bridge in September 2019, when he visited other local bridges and tunnels for a potential assault. Police arrested Czerepak that month after he accessed a restricted ramp at the GWB with a fake placard for a construction company on his dashboard. 

“In this day in age that’s really, really scary. Because it’s the George Washington Bridge, and this is post-9/11,” Judge Frances McGrogan said Thursday. 

Authorities charged him with using a fake ID and possessing empty high-capacity magazines at his home. But the more serious charges of suspected terrorism never materialized due to a lack of evidence. Irene McFarland, his attorney, advocated that the non-violent charges were not enough to detain him. 

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“It is two years later and they have had more than ample opportunity to investigate every part of this case,” McFarland said of the state’s investigation. “All we have are fraud charges.” 

The case stalled since Czerepak’s arrest partly due to the pandemic, but also because he refused to undergo a psychiatric evaluation and release his medical records while in custody. Doctors at a psychiatry ward in Trenton were unable to interview him, but gave an opinion that he might be dangerous due to his “characterological makeup,” the judge noted.  

McGrogan said she is still unsure if Czerepak is fit to stand trial. Part of her release order requires that he seek help from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Prosecutors were opposed to Czerepak’s release unless he was diagnosed and treated. 

“In a perfect world this would have been settled quite some time ago,” Assistant Prosecutor Mark Chiavola said Thursday. “But Daniel Czerepak has been uncooperative. It’s almost as if he would rather be in jail than seek help.”

The former Army captain appeared argumentative during a virtual court appearance Thursday. On multiple occasions he interrupted the judge and his attorney, claiming he was wrongfully detained and skeptical of wearing an ankle bracelet.   

Czerepak's family told The Record following his arrest that he had dealt with mental health issues since his discharge from the Army in 2018. He served in El Paso, Texas, Kuwait and finally South Korea over a seven-year career. When he returned home, his behavior was different and caused his family to worry, prosecutors said. 

His parents also said they don't believe his son was there for reconnaissance and simply made a wrong turn.

His father allegedly told police that his son became reclusive and kept large, empty storage containers in his car. And Czerepak's sister, a nurse, remarked about his "abnormal behavior" and believed he might suffer from an untreated psychological disorder, according to the state. 

Detectives also spoke with Czerepak's supervisors in the Army – a lieutenant colonel and a major – who were not surprised to get a call from law enforcement, prosecutors said.

Czerepak’s father, George, believes the erratic behavior could stem from an incident in the Middle East where his son’s vehicle was attacked. Daniel, he said, suffers from ongoing hearing problems and potential post-traumatic stress disorder, both of which have impacted his mental health. 

Tom Nobile covers Superior Court in Bergen County for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from criminal trials to local lawsuits and insightful analysis, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: nobile@northjersey.com 

Twitter: @tomnobile