By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
Police in the region are on the lookout for a Pennsylvania man that allegedly stole two vehicles and led police in Monroe Township in a brief high-speed pursuit, according to officials.
According to police, the incident began at around 4:08 a.m. Wednesday in Florence Township, Burlington County.
A Florence police officer pulled over a Hyundai Santa Fe with Pennsylvania plates for a moving violation, a Florence Township Police report said.
During the stop, the officer discovered that the driver, later identified as Justin Alexander Miller, 23, of Effort, Pennsylvania, had given him a false identification and that the plates did not match the registration of the vehicle.
According to police, the plates were reported stolen in Pennsylvania. During the arrest, Mr. Miller allegedly pushed his way passed the officer and fled on foot. The report states that the officer and others from the department tried to locate Mr. Miller, but were unsuccessful.
Mr. Miller allegedly stole a car that was unlocked and left running in a driveway on Birch Hollow Drive, according to police.
The vehicle was subsequently spotted by police in Monroe Township, Middlesex County, at around 9:18 a.m., according to a press release from that agency.
The Monroe officer learned that the vehicle, a Hyundai Accent, was reported stolen and that the driver allegedly assaulted an officer in that town, according to police.
The Monroe officer then tried to pull the vehicle over, but Mr. Miller then allegedly accelerated to a “high rate of speed” to elude capture, police said. Due to the speed and adverse weather conditions, the pursuit was called off, according to the release.
Police in Manalapan Township, Monmouth County, then received a bulletin from Monroe that Mr. Miller may be on his way to that township, Capt. Michael Fountain said.
The abandoned vehicle was located in the New Beginnings development off Tracy Station Road, Capt. Fountain said.
An intense manhunt of the area throughout Wednesday afternoon by Monroe, Manalapan and State Police officers, however, was not able to locate Mr. Miller, Capt. Fountain said.
Mr. Miller is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall with blonde hair, a thin build and a thin beard, police said.
He is wanted in Florence Township for assaulting the officer, escaping police, car theft, and a series of motor vehicle violations, according to police.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Monroe Police Department at 732-521-0222.
Special Writer Amy Batista contributed to this report.

