JACKSON – A resident of Lakewood was arrested in Jackson and charged with a multitude of violations following his alleged involvement in a police pursuit on the evening of Aug. 19.
Jackson Police Capt. Steven Laskiewicz reported that at 8:38 p.m., Police Officer Mike Kelly was on patrol on North County Line Road when he observed a sport utility vehicle being operated erratically and then accelerating at a high rate of speed.
Kelly followed the SUV, which reached a speed that exceeded 90 mph in a 50 mph area on North County Line Road, according to Laskiewicz.
Kelly followed and observed the vehicle turn into the Willow Point development on East Commodore Boulevard. When the officer attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver accelerated through the development, traveled over a curb and drove on the wrong side of the road as he disregarded the patrol unit’s emergency lights and the officer’s attempt to conduct the stop, according to Laskiewicz.
During the pursuit through Willow Point, the SUV nearly struck the patrol vehicle, the captain reported.
Kelly followed the SUV out of the complex and onto North County Line Road with his vehicle’s emergency lights and siren activated. The driver of the SUV drove in excess of 100 mph on North County Line Road and nearly hit two other vehicles, according to Laskiewicz.
The driver of the SUV then went around a jughandle and as Kelly slowed near the intersection, the driver drove toward the officer’s vehicle in an allegedly purposeful attempt to strike the vehicle, according to Laskiewicz.
Kelly’s pursuit of the SUV was terminated shortly after that near collision.
Laskiewicz said Kelly conducted an investigation and determined the identity of the individual believed to be the driver of the SUV.
Police said the man identified as the driver, Yony A. Ochoa, 21, of Lakewood, was taken into custody in Lakewood by officers of the Lakewood Police Department.
Ochoa was subsequently charged in Jackson with eluding police, hindering apprehension, aggravated assault on a police officer, multiple speeding violations, reckless driving, failure to keep right, failure to maintain lane, improper operation on a divided highway, disregard of a traffic control device, driving with a suspended driver’s license, driving an uninsured vehicle, making an improper turn, improper passing and failure to stop or yield.
Police said Ochoa had an outstanding arrest warrant for non-support. Bail on the charges was set at $25,000 and he was placed in the Ocean County Jail, Toms River, after being processed on the charges.