On Wednesday in Elizabeth, A Newark man was arrested and charged with carjacking in the 1st degree, a 2nd degree count of eluding a police officer, and a 3rd degree count of theft. The man Andre McKainion of Newark carjacked a 35 year old Elizabeth man s Honda Pilot. In the Honda Pilot was the man s toddler daughter in the back seat, who Andre McKainion quickly dumped off at the Salvation Army on East Grand Street. Police scoured the area, in search of the Honda according to Lieutenant Daniel Geddes. Sergeant Francis Gallager found the car near Julia Street and Madison Avenue, and after a quick pursuit, the car came to a stop and Mr. McKainion ran from the vehicle. He was taken into custody in the backyard of someone s home on Linden Street. The toddler was found at the original location where she was dropped off by McKainion. Andre McKainion was previously released in January from Newark s Northern State Prison after serving more than six years, for charges including carjacking and eluding from police.
More information can be found here on NJ.com
Under N.J.S.A. 2C:15-2 a person is guilty of carjacking when committing an unlawful taking of a motor vehicle or in an attempt to commit an unlawful taking of a motor vehicle. It is a crime of the 1st degree and it is special in that the sentence is extended from 10 to 30 years in New Jersey State Prison.
N.J.S.A. 2C:29-2b is eluding, which involves fleeing from the police in order to avoid apprehension, it is a crime of the 2nd degree when a persons life is put in serious harm, and a person if found guilty is looking at 5 to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison.
N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a is theft, it is a crime of stratified degree grading. In this case it was a crime of the 3rd degree, Regarding the sentencing, if found guilty a person is looking at 3 to 5 years in state prison.
