After a dangerous high-speed chase through Bayonne with a pregnant female passenger, a man from Passaic has been charged with criminal eluding, in addition to receiving a total of 13 summonses for alleged motor vehicle violations.
According to Bayonne Police Lieutenant Janine Foy, 32-year-old Passaic resident Jason R. Garrett was recklessly operating a U-Haul truck while traveling through Bayonne in the vicinity of Fifth Street and Kennedy Boulevard on June 13th at approximately 9:10 p.m.
Law enforcement officials received the report and immediately dispatched officers to the area. Upon arrival, an officer reported observing the truck speeding, disregarding stop signs, and placing pedestrians in danger. When the officer attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver allegedly refused to pull over, and instead, accelerated.
Eventually, New Jersey State Police officers stopped Garret at a service area, at which time they identified his passenger as 44-year-old pregnant woman. He was then arrested and charged with eluding police, in addition to being issued 13 summonses for traffic infractions.
Notably, if the woman in the vehicle had given birth prior to the incident and was accompanied by a child, Garret may have been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, in addition to his other alleged offenses. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4, any person who engages in conduct or who causes harm to a child under the age of 16 can be charged with “endangering.”
The circumstances of the case dictate the degree of endangering charges. However, they can be issued in a variety of instances, for instance, against parents who are charged with driving under the influence with a child present in their vehicle.
For additional information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Passaic man with pregnant woman in U-Haul leads Bayonne police on high-speed chase, cops say
