According to this recent NJ.com report, officers in New Brunswick were alerted to a stolen 2008 Kia SUV. At the time, the vehicle was near Neilson Street and Paterson Street and being followed by its owner in a red Volvo. In an attempt to elude the Volvo, the driver of the stolen Kia tried to turn onto Church Street. However, when he saw the traffic on Church he backed into the Volvo, and turned onto George Street when he saw officers approaching the collision. In his last effort to flee on a busy George Street, he drove across the sidewalk, striking four vehicles, two of which were police vehicles. He was finally apprehended at that point and charged with assault by auto, resisting arrest, eluding, and receiving stolen property. Two individuals in one of the parked vehicles received minor injuries that were treated at the scene and fortunately no pedestrians were injured.
The charges that the suspect is facing are very serious. Each of the named offenses will most likely be tried at the Middlesex County Superior Court because they are indictable offenses- that is, charges that are punishable by more than one year in jail.
Eluding and resisting arrest are similar charges but each fall under a separate statute under New Jersey Criminal Code. Eluding is a third degree crime when it takes place in an automobile. This will be upgraded to a second degree crime if somebody is injured or killed during the commission of the eluding offense. Resisting arrest is a slightly lesser offense in most cases, in which it can be a disorderly persons offense. However, resisting can be a third degree charge when the person resisting uses force or creates unnecessary risk, as occurred in the present case.
For more information on Middlesex County indictable offenses, feel free to browse our site or contact the Law Offices of William Proetta Criminal Law, LLC at (732) 659-9600.
