New Jersey Man Hides From Police in Snowbank, Gets Frostbite and Hypothermia

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ - Thursday's snowstorm did not pass through New Jersey without incident:

A man who cops say broke into a South Brunswick Township liquor store late Thursday night tried to hide from police in a snowbank — and when officers found him, he was suffering from hypothermia and frostbite. After he was arrested, he had to be treated for hypothermia at Robert Wood Johnson hospital in New Brunswick.

An officer with the South Brunswick police noticed George Pesavage's head poking out from the top of an eight-foot-tall snowbank near the liquor store off Rt. 1. Pesavage had just robbed the store, police said, and police were combing the strip mall looking for him. His hands were frostbitten and he told the officer he "was freezing." At his feet were liquor bottles and lottery tickets, police said.

The incident began at 1:45 a.m. Friday morning: South Brunswick Twp. police responded to the Viking Buy-Rite Wine and Liquor on Rt. 1 when its burglar alarm went off. The police found the front door of the store smashed.

Police searched throughout the store, but found no one. The store owner also responded, and he showed the police video of a man breaking the front door and stealing liquor, cigarettes, lighters and lottery tickets. In all the suspect stole over $650 dollars worth of merchandise, police said.

Half an hour later, Officer Mike Urstadt was driving around the large strip mall where the Buy-Rite is located, and noticed a man’s head peeking from behind an eight-foot high snow pile.

Pesavage, 47, of Flemington, had frostbitten hands and was bleeding from cuts. His clothes were soaking wet from hiding in the snowbank. He had been hiding in the subzero cold and snow for nearly 45 minutes, Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said.

At his feet were two bags containing liquor, cigarettes, lighter and lottery tickets. Pesavage explained he was freezing and had just blown his chance of winning the lottery. Officers placed Pesavage under arrest for burglary and criminal mischief.

“The man was saved by being arrested. The freezing temperatures had already started to lower his body temperature when officers located him," said Hayducka, who said the officer saved his life.

He was taken by Kendall Park First Aid Squad to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where he was treated for hypothermia and numerous lacerations from breaking the glass door.

After he was released from the hospital, he was taken to police headquarters and processed. He was lodged in the Middlesex County Correction Center pending a bail hearing.