Man wanted for assault on Florence officer
By Charles W. Kim and Amy Batista, Packet Media Group
DEERPARK, NEW YORK — An alleged criminal odyssey crossing through three states came to an end March 7 when U.S. Marshals and New York State Police arrested Justin Alexander Miller in a lakeside cabin in Deerpark, New York, according to a press release from New York State police.
Mr. Miller, 23, of Effort, Pennsylvania, began his evasive journey in the early morning hours of Feb. 27 when his Hyundai Santa Fe with Pennsylvania plates was pulled over at 4:08 a.m. by police in Florence Township, Burlington County.
According to Florence Police Chief Alvin Scully, Mr. Miller gave the officer a fake name, and the license plates did not match the registration of the vehicle and were reported stolen in Pennsylvania.
While making the arrest, Mr. Miller allegedly “forcefully” pushed past the officer and took off on foot.
A female passenger in the vehicle was identified as a resident of Argentina who was working at a ski resort in Pennsylvania and was likely not aware of Mr. Miller’s situation, according to Chief Scully.
”We do not feel and have no indication that she knew much about Miller nor did it appear that there was any significant relationship between the two,” Chief Scully said. “It appears that the two were just co-workers and not much more.”
The officer and others from the department tried unsuccessfully to locate Mr. Miller, according to Florence Capt. Brian Boldizar.
Capt. Boldizar said that Mr. Miller was allegedly able to steal a Hyundai Accent that was unlocked and running in a driveway on Birch Hollow Drive.
The stolen vehicle was later spotted in Monroe Township, Middlesex County at 9:18 a.m., according to a press release from that agency.
”The stolen vehicle was entered into the NCIC (National Crime Information Center) system as a stolen vehicle,” Capt. Boldizar said. “A Monroe Township officer ran the license plate, and it showed the vehicle being stolen from Florence Township.”
The Monroe officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but it accelerated at a high rate of speed, police said.
Due to the weather conditions, the pursuit was called off, police said.
Police in Manalapan Township, Monmouth County, then received a bulletin from Monroe that Mr. Miller may be on his way to that township, Manalapan Police Capt. Michael Fountain said.
The abandoned vehicle was located in the New Beginnings development off Tracy Station Road on Feb. 27, Capt. Fountain said.
An intense manhunt by Monroe, Manalapan and New Jersey State Police was not able to locate Mr. Miller and the search was called off due to darkness on Feb. 27, according to police.
”(Mr.) Miller is no novice at criminal activity and has an extensive record for his young age,” said Chief Scully, of the Florence Township Police Department, on March 6. “He has shown that he will not cooperate with authorities and has the potential to be a danger to those near him whether it is the police or the public.”
Chief Scully said that Mr. Miller had since stolen another vehicle from the northern New Jersey area and also worked his way back to Pennsylvania.
According to a published report in the Pocono Record newspaper, Pennsylvania police located Mr. Miller at a Green Mountain Drive residence in Chestnuthill Township on Saturday, but he was able to flee through the back door of the home.
The search for the fugitive ended on March 7 when New York State Police and U.S. Marshals apprehended Mr. Miller in a seasonal fishing cabin off Oakland Valley Road in Deerpark, New York, state police said.
A further investigation charged Mr. Miller with breaking into two homes in Deerpark during a four-day span.
Those charges are in addition to those in Pennsylvania for the stolen license plates and simple assault, the assault of the police officer, stolen vehicles, escaping and several motor vehicle violations in New Jersey, police said.
Mr. Miller was lodged in the Orange County Jail in New York without bond and will likely be brought back to New Jersey, according to police.
According to Pennsylvania court records, Mr. Miller previously served time in Pennsylvania in 2006 and again in 2011 for burglary and assault charges.

