Follow us on Instagram
Try our daily mini crossword
Play our latest news quiz
Download our new app on iOS/Android!

Legislature awards bank heist 'heroes'

TRENTON – The New Jersey General Assembly honored the heroes of last November's Sovereign Bank robbery in a ceremony on the floor of Assembly Chambers yesterday, during the state legislature's first voting session of the year.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton) and Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman (D-Ewing) presented a ceremonial resolution to 91-year-old Lucius Wilmerding '27 "for his heroism and bravery" during the holdup.

ADVERTISEMENT

Wilmerding, a former constitutional scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study, was driving to a party with a family friend when alleged bank robber Sandy Casiano hijacked his Ford Taurus.

"He was trying to make me go faster. I thought, shall I plead for my life, or shall I resist?" Wilmerding said. "I knew it would be quick, because he had a great big gun. So I thought, what the hell? I said, 'Fire when ready, Gridley.' "

Wilmerding explained that he had been quoting the order Admiral Dewey gave at the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898. "I guess it was in my subconscious," he explained.

Chief Thomas Michaud of the Princeton Borough Police Department called Wilmerding "a marvelous individual. . . . He was certainly courageous when he was put in that position. He's been our hero ever since that happened."

Wilmerding's son, Lucius Wilmerding III, said he was not surprised at his father's bravery and composure.

"It's typical. He has a way with words. I asked him why he resisted, and he said, '(Casiano) was rude to me,' " Wilmerding III said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lt. Mark Emann of the Princeton Township Police Department and Michaud also received resolutions on behalf of their respective departments.

Princeton Borough Mayor Marvin Reed said he commends the legislature for recognizing the heroic officers. "They are certainly deserving of recognition for carrying out their duties in a noble manner," he said.

In addition to the ceremonial resolutions, three Borough police officers involved also received the Medal of Honor, the highest recognition the Department bestows, last month for their conduct in response to the robbery.

U.S. Attorney Bob Farkas will be leading the prosecution of robbery suspects Casiano and Harold Davila in the upcoming trial, which has been pushed back to April 21. At present, no charges have been filed in response to Casiano's hijacking of Wilmerding's car, Farkas said.

Subscribe
Get the best of ‘the Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Emann said he was impressed with Wilmerding's conduct and courage. "He stayed calm and collected. Maybe he was able to gauge the situation better because he's been through so much," Emann said.

"He stole the show."