Middle Township Police arrested two teenagers last week who allegedly stole an SUV, sped away from police and then fled by foot before being arrested.
On Dec. 27 at about 6:30 p.m. police responded to a sighting of a reportedly stolen Ford Edge from Wildwood turning off Stone Harbor Boulevard on the Garden State Parkway southbound.
Patrolman Armondo Jones caught up to the vehicle at milepost 5 and attempted to pull it over. The driver braked and initially pulled over, but then pulled back on the highway and sped off, police said.
The vehicle exited at Rio Grande onto Route 47 northbound. Traffic was backed up so the vehicle ran over the curbed median into the southbound lanes, tried to turn on 5th Street and struck a utility pole near Joe Canal's liquor store.
The driver and front seat passenger fled on foot while the two rear passengers stayed in the SUV. Jones pursued the passenger, Vincent Oglesby, 19, of Wildwood, and found him behind a dumpster at the rear of PetSmart.
The driver, Gerald Mack, 18, of Winslow Township, Camden County, was later found hiding in a shed in the Rio Grande Trailer Park.
The other passengers, Qua-Shirah Leslie, 18, of Somers Point, and Denzel Turner, 18, of Wildwood, were detained by Class II Officer Matthew Lamanteer. Further investigation found they did not know the vehicle was stolen. Leslie went to the hospital for minor injuries and was later released.
Police charged Mack with eluding police, resisting arrest and receiving stolen property. He was taken to Cape May County jail with bail set at $50,0000.
Police charged Oglesby with resisting arrest and receiving stolen property. He was taken to Cape May County jail with bail set at $35,000.
Det. Tracey Super assisted with the case.
