Knife-Wielding Woman Arrested After Route 9 Crash: Howell Police

HOWELL, NJ — A police chase that ended with a crash that shut down Route 9 for a time on Thursday began when a Freehold woman brandished a knife at a family another car during an altercation on Route 9, police said.

Diane Maloney, 51, of Freehold, is being held at the Monmouth County jail on multiple charges, including terroristic threats and assault by auto, following the incident that ended in the crash at Georgia Tavern Road, Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez said.

Frederick Ledger, 66, of Howell, was hospitalized at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, with moderate injuries suffered when Maloney's white Ford Focus hit his 2011 Toyota Rav 4, Antunez said.

The incident began when a 22-year-old woman who was a passenger in her parents' car called 911 to report a driver was harassing her family.

The driver, later identified as Maloney, began "brake-checking" the caller's car and then began waving a knife, which was described as an 8-inch folding, tactical-style knife, out of the window at the caller and her family, police said. The caller’s vehicle attempted to drive past the suspect vehicle several times only for the suspect to block them in, Antunez said.

Howell Patrolman Omni Spiegel found the car and tried to pull it over in the area of Route 9 south and Georgia Tavern Road, but Maloney continued to drive erratically south, he said. At New Friendship Road, she made an illegal U-turn around the concrete barrier.

At that point, she was confronted by Howell Police Chief Andrew J. Kudrick Jr., who saw her holding the knife. Maloney refused to stop, instead heading north on Route 9, weaving in and out of traffic, Antunez said.

At the Georgia Tavern Road intersection, Route 9 had a red traffic signal, and Maloney went around the stopped cars and into the intersection, where she hit Ledger's Rav 4. Maloney got out of her car and tried to run but Kudrick arrested her. The knife was found inside her car, Antunez said.

Maloney suffered minor injuries and was treated at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold Township before being taken to jail. Neither she nor Ledger had passengers, he said.

Maloney has been charged with eluding, terroristic threats, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, unlawful possession of a weapon and assault by auto. She additionally was issued several motor vehicle citations, and additional charges may be filed after toxicology results are known, Antunez said.

As per policy, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Professional Responsibility Unit was notified and responded to the scene. They will review the event to ensure policy compliance. The Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team also responded to conduct the crash investigation.

The Howell First Aid and Rescue Squad, Howell Police Emergency Medical Services and the Adelphia and Southard Fire Companies responded as well, he said.

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Photo by Jacki Mullis, published with permission