Montgomery Police End Pursuit of Car Thieves in Rocky Hill Due to Safety Concerns for Pedestrians

By Barbara A. Preston | June 17, 2022

A group of car thieves stole multiple vehicles from residents in Montgomery Township and Rocky Hill last week, culminating in a pursuit along Montgomery Road into Rocky Hill, where police ended pursuit because of safety concerns for other motorists and pedestrians. The suspects fled onto County Route 518 traveling west on Wednesday, June 8.

Initially, the Montgomery police responded a Montgomery Road resident who reported that an individual had stolen his 2019 Dodge truck. Upon responding, Montgomery Police Lt. Silvio Bet said officers located the truck abandoned on Montgomery Road a short distance from the victim's house at about 8 pm on June 8.

Officers initiated a search of the area for the suspect. While checking Sycamore Lane, officers encountered three individuals in the process of stealing a motorcycle from an enclosed trailer of a Sycamore Lane residence. Upon seeing the officers, the suspects fled in a black Audi sedan and a black Honda Ridgeline. The suspects traveled east on Sycamore Lane then turned south on Montgomery Avenue into Rocky Hill. Officers abandoned the pursuit on account that that did not want a high speed chase through the neighborhoods of Rocky Hill.

A short while later, Lt. Bet said officers located the Honda Ridgeline abandoned on Crescent Avenue in Rocky Hill. A witness advised officers that the driver of the Honda got into the Audi and the Audi fled towards Princeton Avenue. Officers checked the area, but did not locate the Audi.

New Jersey State Troopers were requested to assist, and discovered that the Honda was stolen from a residence in Rocky Hill. Montgomery Township detectives searched the stolen Dodge truck and the motorcycle for evidence. The investigation is ongoing.

Lt. Bet encourages residents of Rocky Hill and Montgomery to remove keys from their vehicles and lock their cars to deter theft.

Three Motor Vehicle Crashes the Second Week of June in Montgomery

Driver Runs Stop Sign at Bridgepoint-River Road Intersection

Montgomery police and EMS responded to the intersection of River Road and Bridgepoint Road for a three-vehicle crash with injuries on Saturday, June 11 at 7:18 pm. Police determined that Mai Abu-Shama, 43, of Lawrenceville, was operating a 2011 Mazda CX7 on River Road. She failed to stop for the posted stop sign at the intersection, and struck a 2020 Infiniti QX6 driven by Forrest Coder, 64, of Belle Mead.

Abu-Shama’s Mazda then struck a 2011 Acura MDX driven by Tiffany Wiget, 26, of Belle Mead. EMS assessed all involved parties on scene. Abu-Shama and her 16-year-old passenger were transported to RWJUH-New Brunswick for treatment of their injuries. Traffic was delayed at the intersection for about one hour. Abu-Shama was ticketed, and is due to appear in Montgomery Municipal Court.

Distracted Driving Leads to a 3-Car Accident on Route 206

Montgomery EMS Squad 47 and Montgomery police responded to the area of Route 206 near Benjamin Blvd for a three-car motor vehicle accident on Wednesday, June 8, at 4:35 pm. A police investigation determined that Gregory Young Jr., 32, from Somerville, sustained an arm injury and was transported to RWJH in Somerset, where he was later released.

The investigation concluded that Gregory Young, Jr. was distracted while he was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Cobolt. His distraction caused a chain reaction, in which his vehicle crashed into the rear of a 2020 Honda Accord driven by Anthony Gangi, 45, of Pompton Plains. After the initial impact, Gangi’s vehicle crashed into the rear of a 2020 United trailer being towed by George Dilmore, 49, of North Cape May.

Young was issued a summons for careless driving and is scheduled to appear in Montgomery Municipal Court.

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Failure to Yield Right-of-way Leads to Accident on Route 206

Montgomery Township Police and Montgomery EMS responded to a motor vehicle collision at the intersection of Route 206 and Buckingham Drive on June 11, at 5:20 pm. Casey Smith of Princeton was traveling south on Route 206 in a 2009 Subaru when Patrick Chen of Somerset, who was driving a 2008 Mercedes Benz, entered Smith’s lane of travel from Buckingham Drive causing a collision.

Smith and Chen both sustained minor injury but refused medical attention at the scene. The investigation determined the cause of the crash was related to Chen failing to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic. Chen was issued traffic tickets and will be required to appear in Montgomery Township Municipal Court.