Man Gets 5 Years For Leading Cops On High-Speed Chase Through Somerset Co.

SOMERVILLE, NJ — A Brooklyn man was sentenced to five years in New Jersey State Prison on June 29 for a high-speed police chase in a stolen New York City taxicab that struck multiple law enforcement vehicles and a civilian vehicle across four New Jersey counties, authorities said Thursday.

Ashton B. Charles, 31, was sentenced by Judge Lance J. Kalik, J.S.C., with 85 percent of the sentence to be served without eligibility for parole under the No Early Release Act. Charles pleaded guilty on May 8 to five counts of second-degree causing injury while eluding or operating a stolen motor vehicle.

The charges stem from a June 1, 2025, incident in which Charles stole a Toyota Sienna operating as a New York City taxi on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan at about 9:22 a.m. He drove the taxi through Manhattan and Brooklyn, over the Verrazzano Bridge to Staten Island, and over the Goethals Bridge into Elizabeth, authorities said.

Springfield Township police located the stolen taxi around 11:15 a.m. and attempted to stop it. When officers approached, Charles put the vehicle in reverse, striking an officer with the side mirror, then fled onto Route 24 West at high speed before merging onto Interstate 287 South, nearly causing a collision with a tractor-trailer, according to police. Springfield officers ended their pursuit and alerted the New Jersey State Police.

State troopers located Charles on I-287 South, where he ignored their signals and drove at speeds up to 100 mph, weaving through traffic and passing vehicles on the shoulder. He exited onto Route 202 South and continued through Bridgewater, Branchburg and Readington, running red lights, driving on a grass median and knocking over a light pole, police said.

Charles continued into Raritan Township and Flemington, at one point driving over a sidewalk and onto a resident's lawn, before heading back toward Somerset County on Route 202 North. In Branchburg, he struck a State Police vehicle and a civilian's vehicle while troopers attempted to box in the taxi. He later drove over a median into oncoming traffic on Route 202 South before crossing back to 202 North, according to authorities.

Near the Somerville Circle, Charles struck two more State Police vehicles while attempting to exit onto Route 22 East. Once on Route 22, he struck additional State Police vehicles, causing several vehicles, including the taxi, to lose control and crash, authorities said. The taxi ended up facing oncoming traffic and collided with a Somerville Police vehicle. Charles was arrested around 12:25 p.m. after attempting to flee into a wooded area.

Troopers, the Somerville officer and the civilian involved reported relatively minor injuries.

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