Six-town pursuit concludes with a crash in Monroe
By: Leon Tovey
MONROE A 20-year-old East Brunswick man was charged with eluding apprehension and aggravated assault early Tuesday morning after he crashed his Chevy sedan into a tree in front of Monroe Township High School following a chase through six area towns, police said.
Nicholas Janovsky of Douglas Road rammed at least three police cars during the pursuit, according to police reports on the incident.
Detective Sgt. Lawrence Linke said Thursday that Monroe police were alerted at 12:45 a.m. Tuesday to the chase, which began on Route 535 in East Brunswick when Patrol Officer Ted Yachimovicz stopped Mr. Janovsky for driving with his headlights off, according to a statement released by the East Brunswick Police Department.
After pulling onto Lawry Court and coming to a stop, Mr. Janovsky sped away as Officer Yachimovicz approached his car, the statement said. Mr. Janovsky fled south on Route 535 before turning east onto Helmetta Boulevard and then onto Appleby Court a cul-de-sac where he stopped, the statement said.
When Officer Yachimovicz stopped behind him, Mr. Janovsky put his car in reverse and rammed the officer’s car before driving away. The pursuit continued through Helmetta, Spotswood and back into East Brunswick, where Mr. Janovsky again stopped this time in the parking lot of Bowne Munro Elementary School on Main Street and again struck a police cruiser, according to the statement.
The chase continued onto Route 18 and then onto Route 527 south through Old Bridge and into Jamesburg and Monroe, where Mr. Janovsky was pursued by police from Spotswood, Jamesburg and Monroe, Sgt. Linke said.
After ramming a Spotswood police car near the intersection of Gatzmer and Mott avenues in Jamesburg, Mr. Janovsky continued south on Gatzmer Avenue and into Monroe on Perrineville Road with a Monroe and a Jamesburg officer in pursuit, Sgt. Linke said.
As the three cars approached the high school, the Monroe officer attempted to pull alongside Mr. Janovsky’s car, which was traveling at about 35 mph, Sgt. Linke said. Mr. Janovsky swerved into and struck the passenger side door of the Monroe patrol car before losing control of his vehicle, striking a tree and coming to a stop, Sgt. Linke said.
Mr. Janovsky was taken into custody by the Spotswood Police Department, charged with eluding apprehension, several counts of aggravated assault and issued numerous traffic summonses, Sgt. Linke said.
Sgt. Linke said no charges relating to drugs or alcohol were filed against Mr. Janovsky by the Monroe Township Police Department. He said the incident is still under investigation.
Calls to the East Brunswick and Spotswood police departments were not returned by The Cranbury Press’ Thursday afternoon deadline.
Mr. Janovsky was lodged in the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in lieu of $130,000 bail, a correction’s spokesperson said Thursday.

