Old Bridge Couple Arrested After Stolen Car Crashes Into Woods, Police Say

MANCHESTER, NJ - A man and a woman from Old Bridge Township were arrested Thursday after the stolen vehicle they were traveling in crashed into a wooded area in Ocean County. George Noonan, 31, and Kristina Noonan-Bath, 32, both of Laurence Harbor were arrested near the scene of the car crash in Manchester Township. Drug paraphernalia was also found on them, police said.

The GMC Envoy had been reported stolen out of Old Bridge Township. At approximately 11 a.m. Thursday, a police officer down in Manchester Twp. noticed the stolen vehicle. When Patrolman Michael Terranova attempted to stop the car, the driver refused and sped away at a high rate of speed. In the interest of public safety and having a full description of the vehicle, Ptl. Terranova terminated the pursuit.

A short time later, officers passed through the Manchester Boulevard/Wranglebrook intersection and noticed vehicles pulled over on the side of the road, with occupants looking in the woods. Patrol officers stopped and discovered that the stolen GMC Envoy had lost control, left the roadway, and traveled approximately 100 feet into a wooded area before coming to a stop. Unable to open the damaged vehicle doors, the occupants climbed through windows and fled from the scene on foot. Manchester police provided these photos of the crash.

An extensive search of the area began, as the members of the Manchester Township Police Investigations Bureau, Patrol Bureau, and Narcotics Enforcement Team were called to the scene, as was K-9 Officer Marc Micciulla and his partner, Storm, for tracking purposes. Also responding was the New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit for aerial support, and K-9 Officer Christine Casullo from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department. A nearby daycare center was even placed on temporary lockdown as a precaution.

Approximately 45 minutes after the search began, the suspects, George Noonan, 31, of Route 35 in Laurence Harbor, and Kristina Noonan-Bath, 32, of Norwood Avenue in Laurence Harbor, were found walking along Wranglebrook Road by Ptl. Christian Nazario, who placed them under arrest.

Noonan was charged with possession of hypodermic needles, possession of drug paraphernalia, receiving stolen property, eluding, and hindering apprehension. Officers also found that he had multiple no bail warrants from numerous jurisdictions.

Noonan-Bath was arrested on warrants totaling $5,500 out of multiple jurisdictions. Both suspects were sent to Ocean County Jail pending court in default of bail. The Manchester Township Police Traffic Safety Officer Douglas Higgins is investigating the crash.