Man Caught After Exposing Himself in Several Towns, Police Say

A Piscataway man who twice exposed himself and masturbated in front of women last month in Fanwood has been arrested, police said.

Eric Horstman, 39, of Piscataway, was arrested on Oct. 22 after Fanwood Police narrowed down the search through working with other towns where similar incidents occurred. 

Fanwood Police Chief Richard Trigo said the two incidents in Fanwood occurred in close proximity on the night of Oct. 2.

The first happened outside of Mara's Cafe on Martine and South avenues where two women were having coffee, police said. About 10 minutes later, the man approached another woman as she was walking on LaGrande Avenue near Helen Street, police said.

Police searched for the man who fled on LaGrande Avenue, but didn't find him. 

"Working in conjunction with other towns, we were able to narrow down the suspect and brought him in," Trigo said. Trigo said the man committed similar acts in Watchung, North Plainfield and Clark.

Clark Police Chief Alan Scherb said Horstman struck once in Clark, exposing himself at the front window to Hand & Stone, a spa in the Target shopping complex, before running away. 

Fanwood Police charged Horstman with three counts of a lewd act. Clark Police also charged him with lewdness. Bail was set at $6,000.