Man Charged In Hazlet Burglaries Following Chase, Search: Police

HAZLET, NJ — An Ocean County man who was released from state prison two months ago and who's suspected in a string of Monmouth County burglaries was arrested early Thursday after he fled police in a stolen vehicle and then crashed the vehicle into a swimming pool in an attempt to escape, Hazlet police said.

Christopher Kingsbury, 27, of Little Egg Harbor Township, was charged with burglary, motor vehicle theft, and aggravated assault on a police officer, as well as several other offenses, police said in a news release on Facebook.

Hazlet police already were looking for Kingsbury in connection with a series of burglaries and car thefts in the Holmdel Road area when officers saw a suspicious vehicle about 3 a.m. Thursday in the area of Knoll Terrace, police said.

Patrolman Robert Dickens tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver took off, police said. The driver turned onto Jane Place, which is a cul de sac, and realizing he was trapped, turned around and struck three vehicles including Dickens's police car. He drove over a lawn to try to get away, police said, and it was then they were able to identify him as Kingsbury, police said.

Kingsbury then turned down Crestview Drive, which is another cul de sac, and this time he drove into a resident's backyard and crashed the vehicle into a swimming pool, police said. Kingsbury then ran away, police said.

At least 15 officers set up a perimeter and Dickens and Patrolman Kevin Geoghan searched with their K9 dogs, searching for nearly 2-1/2 hours with numerous other officers before Detective Nicholas Logothetis and Lt. Chris Acevedo arrested Kingsbury about 5:30 a.m. as he tried to make his way back to the Shore Point Inn where he was staying, police said.

Police later determined the vehicle crashed into the swimming pool had been stolen from a home on Sixth Street in Hazlet that police say Kingsbury had burglarized earlier in the night.

Hazlet police said Kingsbury has been linked to a burglary on Roosevelt Avenue and a trespassing incident on Windflower Court, and is suspected of committing burglaries on three other streets — Northfield Court, Rutgers Street, and Maple Drive — as well as burglaries in Aberdeen, Middletown, and Atlantic Highlands.

"We would like to thank these agencies for their assistance as well as Keyport and Holmdel PDs," police said in the news release.

Kingsbury was released from state prison in late August following a four-month spell in South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, according to the state Department of Corrections website.

Hazlet police said Kingsbury was charged Thursday with two counts of burglary, two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, criminal trespass, theft of moveable property, aggravated assault on a police officer, eluding, hindering apprehension, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, resisting arrest and numerous motor vehicle offenses, Hazlet police said.

"As he is linked to the other crimes more charges will follow," Hazlet police said.

He was being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institute in Freehold as of Saturday, according to the jail's website.

Christopher Kingsbury photo via N.J. Department of Corrections website