Car Chase Ends With Crash in West Orange

A Princeton man is in custody after leading New Jersey State Police in a high-speed chase across Interstates 80 and 280 Saturday morning, state police officials said.

Justin Mercer, 20, was arrested after the stolen sport utility vehicle he was driving crashed at Exit 7 off Interstate 280 in West Orange, State Police Sgt. Brian Polite said.

Mercer was the only person in the car, Polite said.

Around noon, state police had blocked off the exit and on-ramp to Interstate 280 East off Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange. An old model, gray Nissan Pathfinder was propped on a tow truck, surrounded by state police cars. The sports utility vehicle had visible damage to the front, left side with all four tires blown out.

Exit 7 was closed off for a few hours following the crash but opened up later in the afternoon.

Shortly before 11 a.m., state police attempted to stop a stolen car traveling east bound on Interstate 80 in Allamuchy Township in Warren County, N.J., according to Polite. He said the car began to "take off" once police activated their emergency lights.

The origin of the stolen car is not yet known.

The sports utility vehicle continued at high speeds down Interstate 280, Polite said. He said the car became "involved in a motor vehicle accident" as it attempted to exit in West Orange.

Details on the collision were not immediately available. Polite said no state police were injured in the incident.

Patch will update this story as more information becomes available.