Four teenagers have been charged following a hours-long car chase that began with the theft of a $220,000 Mercedes-Benz G Wagon and ended in a fatal crash. The incident occurred early Saturday morning near Mays Landing, New Jersey.
Authorities said the teens stole the luxury SUV and led police on a chase before crashing head-on into a Hyundai sedan shortly before 8 a.m. The collision killed the sedan's two occupants, identified as Robert Barr, Jr., 54, and Alice Stilwell, 67, both of Egg Harbor Township. Stilwell was described as a beloved mother and grandmother, and Barr as her longtime partner, according to a GoFundMe campaign established to assist with funeral expenses.
The G Wagon was traveling at high speed on the wrong side of the road when it struck the sedan, pushing it into a nearby gas station, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office. The four teenagers in the stolen vehicle sustained minor injuries and attempted to flee the scene but were apprehended by authorities.
Police had reportedly been tracking the stolen vehicle since approximately 3:40 a.m. in Longport when it failed to stop for an officer. Later, around 7:45 a.m., officers in Hamilton Township spotted the SUV, initiating a pursuit. However, officers had lost sight of the vehicle moments before the crash occurred.
Nayshaun Brown, 18, and three other minors were charged with joyriding, eluding police, and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault. Information regarding legal representation for the defendants was not immediately available. It remains unclear which of the teenagers was driving at the time of the fatal collision.