Accident Causes Car Fire After Salem Man Violates Order: Cops

A South Jersey man who was violating Gov. Phil Murphy’s stay-at-home orders was involved in an accident that led to a car fire earlier this week, according to authorities.

Eric Brown, 27 of Salem, was arrested by the New Jersey State Police on Tuesday after he was involved in a motor vehicle accident that led to a car fire, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, announced.

He then called 911 and claimed to be a witness to the accident, as opposed to the driver of the car, police said. He was charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution and violating the emergency orders, both disorderly persons offenses.

He was one of two South Jersey residents who were charged after violating Gov. Phil Murphy's orders to stay-at-home during the current outbreak of new coronavirus on Tuesday.

The other was 20-year-old Frank Castillo, of Browns Mills, who was stopped by Pemberton Township police for a traffic violation on April 9. Police said they had stopped Castillo twice before and had issued warnings when they learned he was picking up various people in the Pemberton area and driving them around for non-essential trips. He was charged with violating the emergency orders.

“Our police officers are working bravely and tirelessly every day to protect us during this health crisis. Regrettably, they are being called upon far too often to deal with people violating the emergency orders— or what is more egregious, people using the virus to spread fear or impede officers in their vital work,” Grewal said. “Staying home and maintaining social distance isn’t just the best advice to stay healthy, it’s the law. Make no mistake, we will do everything in our power to keep our residents and officers safe, and that means we won’t hesitate to file charges against violators.”

“Law enforcement and medical professionals are on the front lines of this battle to protect the citizens of New Jersey from the COVID-19 virus, and we cannot stress enough how important it is that each person follow the guidelines set forth in the Executive Order,” Callahan said. “Because lives are at stake, enforcement action will be taken without hesitation against those who are blatantly placing the lives of others at risk.”

Violations of the emergency orders constitute a disorderly persons offense carrying a potential sentence of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. However, violators can potentially face criminal charges including second, third, and fourth degree indictable offenses. Police have charged a number of persons with second-degree terroristic threats during an emergency for claiming to have COVID-19 and threatening to infect law enforcement officers or others by coughing, spitting, or otherwise exposing them. That charge carries a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000.

Anyone who sees someone violating the governor's emergency orders in your town is asked to contact their local police department or report them here https://covid19.nj.gov/violation.

See related: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know