Man Rams Police Car in Spotswood: Authorities

Spotswood, NJ - Police say a 51-year-old man led them on a wild chase through a quiet residential neighborhood last week, driving across the front lawn of Schoenly Elementary and then ramming his car into a patrol car in the back parking lot of the school.

According to authorities, a silver Mitsubishi was first reported to police in the area of Beebe Avenue at about 5:40 p.m. on Dec. 23. When the driver, later identified as Walter Benson, 51 of New Brunswick, saw a patrol car approaching, police said he turned all the car’s lights off. He then accelerated at a high rate of speed while blatantly running multiple stop signs on Beebe Avenue, Kane Avenue and Adirondack Avenue, police said.

When he reached Schonely School, Benson allegedly cut across the roadway, drove over the curb and onto the front lawn of the school. He then drove on the lawn to the back of the school where he crashed into a fence and a bench, police said.

When another squad car got there, the Mitsubishi accelerated, and Benson intentionally rammed into the side of the patrol car, police allege. After ramming the patrol car, Benson continued southbound on Kane Avenue and onto Burlington, where he sped through stop signs and hit several parked cars. After hitting his final parked car, Benson came to a stop, got out of the car, and ran. Police caught him, and, when they did, Benson put up a fight.

He was finally secured in handcuffs. After securing Benson, two pairs of binoculars were found in his Mitsubishi, authorities said.