South Brunswick Police Arrest Two In Stolen Car Incidents

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — In two separate incidents, South Brunswick police were able to make arrests in stolen car cases.

The most recent car chase started this past Friday, Jan. 24. At 10:15 a.m. that day police received a 911 call from a man who said someone had just stolen his 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe from the parking lot of the QuickChek on Rt. 130 in Dayton.

Officer Aaron Parks arrived and was told by the victim that he offered a ride to a man he met at the Courtyard Marriott hotel on Rt. 535. The victim told Parks when he got to the QuickChek the suspect put an unknown metal object against his neck and demanded his car.

The victim was uninjured and the suspect fled north on Rt. 130 in the stolen car. Detective Bryan Sites and Detective Brady Shelcusky continued the investigation and attempted to track down the stolen vehicle, ultimately learning the stolen Hyundai had crossed into Pennsylvania. South Brunswick detectives coordinated with Philadelphia police to locate the vehicle and the car was stopped at 6:53 p.m. that same day.

Jashua Stites, 27, of Salem was arrested. Police say Stites had been arrested the day before on the New Jersey Turnpike and ended up going to the Courtyard Marriott after his release. Stites was charged with carjacking, robbery and motor vehicle theft. Philadelphia police also charged Stites with being a fugitive from justice and he is awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

Prior to that, South Brunswick police say they uncovered another stolen car the night before, during the evening rush hour on Thursday.

At 4:55 p.m. Officer Gerald Sarno was running radar on Rt. 130 when he observed a silver Subaru traveling south on Rt. 130 at 93 miles per hour.

He caught up to the car when it slowed for traffic near Rt. 522. Officer Sarno determined the car was stolen and conducted a high-risk motor vehicle stop, said police. The driver of the Subaru, later identified as Yves Badawy, 23, of Milltown, pulled onto the grass median between the northbound and southbound sides of Rt. 130. The driver continued to let the vehicle roll on the grass without coming to a complete stop for another 200 feet. The vehicle eventually stopped near Dayton Toyota, but Badawy refused initial orders to get out, said police. Several officers responded and the highway was closed in both directions while officers attempted to take him into custody.

After several minutes, Badawy exited the car and was arrested.

Badawy was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle and issued numerous motor vehicle summonses.

Scenes from the Rt. 130 incident last Thursday: