MANAHAWKIN, NJ — A 19-year-old was charged after urinating out of his car, speeding through traffic and eventually crashing his car on the Fourth of July, Stafford police said.
Ptl. Zachary Otte initiated a motor vehicle stop at about 7:35 p.m. on July 4 after seeing the driver of a gray Honda Accord urinating out of the vehicle while stopped in traffic in the area of Route 72 and Marsha Drive, according to a news release.
The driver initially pulled over, but when Otte left his patrol car the Honda fled the scene, police said. The stop was immediately terminated due to department policy.
Several minutes later, Ptl. Jacob Forlenza saw the Honda driving westbound on Route 72 at a high speed while weaving through traffic, driving on the shoulder and nearly causing multiple crashes, police said.
Forlenza immediately tried another motor vehicle stop and asked permission to initiate a pursuit, police said. He, with the help of SMPO Bryan Brown, followed the Honda north on the Garden State Parkway.
However, that pursuit was terminated near mile marker 77 due to heavy traffic and the identification of the vehicle's owner, police said.
Shortly after that, New Jersey State Police told Stafford police that the vehicle had crashed near mile marker 94.8 on the Parkway and had been abandoned, police said. Officers searched the area but couldn't find the driver.
Through investigation, the driver has been identified as 19-year-old Evan Perez of Milford, police said. He was charged with lewdness, third-degree eluding and second-degree eluding. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The vehicle was towed to the Stafford Township Police Department, where it was secured pending the execution of a search warrant and further evidentiary processing.
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