Newark Teens Broke Into Secaucus Cars, Drove Across Lawns: Police

SECAUCUS, NJ — A wild car chase, with teens driving over front yards, occurred in the North End of Secaucus in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday morning, as four teens from Newark were breaking into parked cars in the area, said police.

At 5:44 a.m. on Sunday, May 16, Secaucus Police were called to Central Lane and Luhmann Terrace in the North End for a call of three men trying to break into parked cars. They were driving in a black Honda Civic.

Police Officer Alex Witrock arrived in just under one minute and located the black Honda Civic on Laurel Court.

Officer Witrock tried to stop the car, but the driver, a 17-year-old male, disregarded the signal to stop and reversed, crashing into a parked car. In an attempt to flee, the teens then drove the Civic over the front lawn of a residential home.

Officer Witrock and Officer Dwight Wise ordered the occupants out of the car, but the Civic accelerated and narrowly missed striking Police Officer Wise who was forced to jump out of the way, said police. The Civic then struck a fence and came to a halt.

Four male teens in total, Davion Jones, 18, along with the 17-year-old driver, and the 15-year-old and 17-year-old passengers, all of Newark, were placed under arrest. At the time of their arrest, proceeds from a car that was burglarized on Central Lane were recovered, said police.

Additionally, the Honda Civic was found to be stolen from Roselle Park earlier in the night. Additional charges may be filed.

“I commend the resident for immediately calling police to report the incident and acknowledge we cannot do our jobs successfully without the community’s partnership,” Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller said. “I also commend and highlight the restraint by my officers in not using deadly force, despite being presented with an immediate danger created by these individuals who are clearly not frightened by our criminal justice system."

Jones and all of the juveniles were each charged with Burglary [2C:18-2a(1)], Theft [2C:20-3a], Receiving Stolen Property [2C:20-7] and Conspiracy to Commit Burglary and Theft [2C:52/2C:18-2a(1) & 2C:20-3a]. Jones was additionally charged with three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child [2C:24-4] and three counts of Using a Juvenile in the Commission of a Crime [2C:24-9a]. The 17-year-old driver was also charged with Eluding [2C:29-2b], Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer [2C:12-b(5)(a)] and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, the vehicle, [2C:29-5(d)].

The 17-year-old driver also was wanted on five active warrants for burglary from Livingston. Jones and all of the juveniles were charged and released pending their appearance in court, pursuant to Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice Reform.

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