Man Admits Ramming Joint Base Police Cars While Trespassing: Feds

CAMDEN, NJ — A Florida man has admitted deliberately hitting the vehicles of two military police officers when he drove through a checkpoint at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in November 2020, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced last week.

Hal Wander, 25, of Port Charlotte, Florida, pleaded guilty on Feb. 8 by teleconference before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to charges of assault on two federal officers using a deadly and dangerous weapon, namely, a motor vehicle, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said.

Authorities said Wander drove his vehicle onto the base on Nov. 16, 2020, at high speed without stopping at the designated check point. Two marked military police vehicles gave chase, with one MP driving his car in front of Wander to try to stop him, while the second pulled his car up behind Wander, authorities said.

Wander intentionally drove his car into the MP's car in front of him, then drove backward into the MP's car behind him.

While Wander’s car was stopped, the MP who had blocked Wander from the front reached in and tried to turn off the ignition of Wander’s vehicle but Wander drove forward, dragging the MP several feet before the MP was able to get free of Wander's vehicle. Authorities said Wander "continued to drive his vehicle dangerously until he hit a utility pole, came to a stop, and was arrested."

The assault charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, authorities said. Wander's sentencing is scheduled for June 15.

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