West Orange Chase, Crash Began as Carjacking with Kids Inside SUV

A Princeton man stole a woman's car while her two children were still inside after she pulled over to help him, police said. The incident unfolded with a high-speed chase across three counties, ending with a crash and  arrest in West Orange. 

Justin Mercer, 20, left the children unharmed at a mall, stole another vehicle and led state police in a pursuit across Interstates 80 and 280 Saturday morning, according to State Police Sgt. Brian Polite.

The incident began in Hope Township in Warren County, N.J., when a woman in a 2004 Lexus sports utility vehicle pulled over attempting to help Mercer who had been involved in a motor vehicle accident, Polite said. He said the woman went to check on Mercer when he jumped in the woman's car and drove away with her 10-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son around 10:15 a.m.

After driving away with her two children, Mercer left the kids in Allamuchy Township and continued to a ShopRite in Hackettstown Township where he ditched the Lexus and stole another car, police said.

Shortly before 11 a.m., state police spotted Mercer traveling east bound on Interstate 80 in Allamuchy, Polite said. He said the car began to "take off" once police activated their emergency lights.

The sports utility vehicle continued at and crashed when Mercer attempted to exit in West Orange and lost control of the car, Polite said.

Mercer suffered minor injuries. No police were injured in the incident, 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.

Mercer faces carjacking, endangerment to the welfare of a child and theft. Police said they are looking into additional charges. He is currently being held at Warren County jail.