HACKETTSTOWN, NJ (Warren County) – A Warren County man who allegedly eluded police through three counties Thursday morning turned himself into police after they called him, Hackettstown police said.
Erik D. Johnson, 42, of Washington, NJ was charged with second-degree eluding, fourth-degree obstructing the administration of law, fourth-degree hindering, failure to observe traffic signal, failure to maintain lane, failure to stop or yield, reckless driving and careless driving.
At 8:23 a.m. a town police officer was on Route 57, when the officer ran a random plate inquiry on a vehicle, police said.
The information came back as the owner of the vehicle, who was identified as Johnson, was a NJ wanted person out of the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office and the offense was for larceny, police said.
The officer then attempted to initiate a stop with the vehicle on Route 182. Johnson then failed to yield to the officer and drove in a reckless manner in attempt to elude the officer, police said.
Johnson then continued to elude the officer as he traveled through Hackettstown, Mansfield Twp, Washington Twp (Warren and Morris Counties), Lebanon Township (Hunterdon County) and Independence Twp, police said.
At 9:20 a.m., Hackettstown police terminated the pursuit on Route 46 in Independence Twp, police said.
New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit then followed the vehicle through several jurisdictions, police said.
The officer was then able to obtain a phone number for Johnson. Police contacted Johnson, who was still being followed by NJSP helicopter, and was able to get him to turn himself into police.
Johnson then met with officers at Scrub-A-Dub car wash on Route 57 and at 10:40 a.m., he was arrested by police.
There were no injuries reported during the incident, police said.
Johnson was then turned over to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office and lodged in the Warren County Correctional Facility.
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