Law enforcement arrested an illegal immigrant who allegedly committed a carjacking of a taxi driver in Dover, New Jersey.
According to Morris County prosecutors, the 29-year-old suspect held up a cab driver at knifepoint around 5:26 a.m. in September 2015. The violent incident went down near the intersection of Second Street and Byram Avenue in Dover, NJ.
The suspect, who was possibly intoxicated, allegedly approached a Lincoln Town Car being used as a taxi and flashed a razor-type knife at the driver. The suspect then allegedly stole the car and drove off.
The victim dialed 911 and alerted the Dover Police Department, which dispatched patrol officers to the area. A Dover NJ police officer soon spotted the suspect and attempted to get him to stop the vehicle.
A chase ensued, ending a short time later when the suspect crashed the taxicab.
After the accident, the suspect reportedly got out of the vehicle and tried to flee the scene on foot. He was quickly apprehended, but allegedly used physical force while police placed him under arrest.
Now the suspect is set to face trial after a Morris County NJ grand jury indicted him on a number of criminal charges. The suspect is set to stand trial in Morris County Superior Court, located in Morristown NJ, for carjacking, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, eluding police, and resisting arrest.
If the suspect is convicted on the most serious charges of carjacking, he faces severe penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:15-2, carjacking is classified as a first degree felony. Although most first degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars, a carjacking conviction could result in the suspect being sentenced to as many as 30 years in NJ State Prison.
The suspect was previously deported to Mexico, but he came back to the United States and was living in New Jersey when the carjacking incident occurred. As a result, it is possible that he will be deported back to Mexico again after the criminal charges against him are resolved and he has served a prison sentence.
While the suspect awaits trial, he is being held at the Morris County Jail in Morristown, New Jersey. His bail amount is $250,000.
For further information about this case, go to the DailyRecord.com article, “Dover Man Indicted on Charge of Carjacking Cab Driver.”
