Gas Station Armed Robbery Leads To Chase, Evacuation After Car Hits Natural Gas Meter In Wall: Police

WALL, NJ — A Wall Township man hit a gas meter on a mobile home, causing an evacuation, as he tried to flee police trying to arrest him in the armed robbery of a gas station, Wall police said.

Jeffrey Weipert, 56, of Wall, is facing more than a dozen charges in the series of events late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning that led to a Wall Township police officer being injured, Wall Detective Lt. Greg Carpino said.

Police were called to the Exxon gas station at 2276 Route 34 for a report of an armed robbery shortly after midnight, Carpino said. The man displayed a handgun and took an undisclosed amount of cash from the gas attendant, he said.

Weipert was identified at the gas station during the on-scene investigation as a suspect, Carpino said, and about 3:30 a.m. he was seen driving his 2002 Acura MDX in Wall.

Police attempted to pull the car over, but Weipert sped off, Carpino said. A short time later Weiper crashed his car into a gas meter attached to a home in Shore Mobile Acres at 1919 Atlantic Ave., Carpino said.

Weipert jumped out of his car and tried to run, but Wall officers caught up with him and arrested him, Carpino said.

The crash compromised a gas meter, however, and authorities were forced to evacuate the mobile home park while crews from New Jersey Natural Gas repaired the meter, he said. The South Wall Fire Department and the Wall Township Building Department responded as well, Carpino said.

Weipert was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, by the Manasquan First Aid squad with a non-life-threatening injury, and he was listed in stable condition, Carpino said.

Wall Patrolman Christopher Gallagher reported he was injured as well, but Carpino did not say what that injury entailed other than to say it was not life-threatening.

Weipert's car was towed from the scene and impounded, and police recovered the handgun used in the robbery during their investigation, Carpino said.

Weipert has been charged with the following, Carpino said:

• First-degree robbery
• Unlawful possession of a weapon (second-degree offense)
• Eluding an officer (second-degree offense)
• Possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose (second-degree offense)
• Aggravated assault on an officer (second-degree offense)
• Certain persons not to possess weapons (second-degree offense)
• Resisting arrest (third-degree offense)
• Terroristic threats (third-degree offense)
• Creating widespread alarm (fourth-degree offense)
• Obstructing the administration of justice (fourth-degree offense)
• Aggravated assault (fourth-degree offense)
• Theft (disorderly persons offense)
• Disorderly conduct (disorderly persons offense)
• Under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance (disorderly persons offense)

Bail will be set at a later date, Carpino said.

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