Man Sentenced In 'Extremely Dangerous' High-Speed Chase In Somerset County

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — A Plainfield man was sentenced in connection with a high-speed chase through Warren and Watchung where he drove into police cars and "unnecessarily risked lives" in 2022, announced Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and Watchung Borough Chief of Police Scott Anderle on Wednesday.

On Jan. 12, 2024, Edwin O. Dimas-Guerrero, 22, of Plainfield, was sentenced by Judge Jonathan W. Romankow, in the third-degree range to a term of 3 years in prison on charges of second-degree eluding, fourth-degree aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, third-degree criminal mischief, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and third-degree hindering apprehension.

Dimas-Guerrero was also ordered to pay $18,807.94 in restitution to the Watchung Borough and Warren Township Police Departments for damage he caused to multiple police vehicles.

Dimas-Guerrero was also sentenced for the motor vehicle offense of reckless driving. He entered a guilty plea to the charges on Nov. 30, 2023.

"The charges were the result of defendant Dimas-Guerrero’s increasingly dangerous driving conduct in Watchung Borough and Warren Township on the afternoon of October 24, 2022. Defendant’s actions unnecessarily risked lives and caused damage to multiple police vehicles and private property," said McDonald.

On Oct. 24, 2022, at about 3:51 p.m., officers from the Berkeley Heights Police Department went to the parking lot of the former Brook Hill Swim Club in Watchung for a report of vehicles driving recklessly and revving their engines at high volume.

Dimas-Guerrero was driving his modified 2019 Dodge Charger with no license plates displayed. Dimas-Guerrero’s vehicle was one of several vehicles that fled when seeing the Berkeley Heights police vehicle, according to the release.

Dimas-Guerrero drove into Watchung on Hillcrest Road. Soon after, Watchung police saw Dimas-Guerrero’s car traveling south on Hillcrest Road near the intersection with Valley Road and Stirling Road.

Dimas-Guerrero again ignored the signals from the police to stop. Instead, he passed another vehicle on the right and accelerated westbound on Stirling Road toward Warren Township, said McDonald.

While on Stirling Road, Dimas-Guerrero drove at high speed and illegally passed vehicles by driving over the centerline into the oncoming lane, said McDonald.

Due to the danger Dimas-Guerrero posed to other motorists, police terminated the pursuit.

Shortly after, Dimas-Guerrero encountered police again on Old Smalleytown Road in Warren. Police signaled for him to stop. Again, he ignored the police vehicle’s lights and sirens and drove off toward Deer Path and High Oaks Drive, said McDonald.

On High Oaks Drive, another Watchung police officer saw Dimas-Guerrero’s vehicle traveling toward the officer at an estimated speed of 60 MPH.

The officer stopped his vehicle in the center of the road with emergency lights activated. Dimas-Guerrero drove directly at the patrol vehicle without slowing, swerving only at the last moment to avoid a head-on crash, according to the release.

Dimas-Guerrero then drove to the area of Guinard Drive and Spencer Lane where he tried to hide from police by parking in a residential driveway.

A Warren Township police officer found Dimas-Guerrero's vehicle on Guinard Drive where he tried to flee.

He exited the driveway and drove north on Guinard Drive to a T-intersection with Spencer Lane. He disregarded a stop sign and tried to turn left. However, Dimas-Guerrero stopped in the middle of his turn when his path was blocked by a Watchung Borough police vehicle, according to the release.

Dimas-Guerrero then tried to turn right. The Warren police vehicle blocked his path to the right. Dimas-Guerrero, however, continued his "extremely dangerous" attempt to evade police by driving off the roadway and onto private property, said McDonald.

With the Warren police vehicle still blocking his path, Dimas-Guerrero drove back onto the road, and steered his vehicle directly into the front driver’s side of the Warren patrol vehicle.

Dimas-Guerrero also hit a tree, causing his rear bumper to detach. While still crashed into the Warren patrol vehicle, Dimas-Guerrero began driving east toward Hillcrest Road, said McDonald.

After he broke free from the Warren patrol vehicle, Dimas-Guerrero’s path was then blocked by another Watchung police vehicle. Instead of stopping, Dimas-Guerrero rammed his vehicle into the front driver’s side of a Watchung police vehicle, according to authorities.

The impact forced Dimas-Guerrero to steer into a cul-de-sac on Dawn Way. Multiple police vehicles surrounded Dimas-Guerrero to prevent him from driving away. Dimas-Guerrero was removed from the car and placed under arrest.

On Dimas-Guerrero's detached rear bumper, police found his license plate was hidden by an electronically controlled mechanical cover. The cover was lowered to prevent anyone from reading the license plate, which would reveal his identity as the registered owner, said McDonald.

The investigation was conducted by officers from the Watchung Borough Police Department, the Warren Township Police Department, and the Berkeley Heights Police Department.

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