The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office will review an August 28 police pursuit of a stolen BMW by Millburn Police into Maplewood that resulted in two “totaled” vehicles and minor injuries to the occupants. The pursuit also resulted in the arrest of the suspect.
The review is standard for any police pursuit resulting in a crash, reported Capt. Mark Azzopardi of the Millburn Police. Village Green is following up with the ECPO to confirm the investigation.
Photo of auto damaged in Millburn PD pursuit of stolen BMW through Maplewood. The car was struck at Prospect and Parker. Airbags deployed and the two passengers were not seriously injured, per reports.
The NJ attorney general lifted a ban on pursuits in “stolen only” situations in 2022 after a statewide spike in vehicle thefts. Maplewood PD report that they, however, still maintain a policy prohibiting pursuits in such circumstances. Azzopardi told Village Green that Millburn PD supervisors monitor pursuits and officers also need to make judgment calls about when to break off the pursuits related to various factors such as traffic and time of day (the pursuit took place after 8 p.m. on a Monday night). Azzopardi said that jurisdictions communicate with each other in a cross-border situation.
Azzopardi said Millburn PD will also be reviewing the pursuit along with the ECPO: “We review every pursuit,” he said, noting that body cam and dash cam video would be reviewed. Village Green filed an Open Public Records Act [OPRA] request for the video today.
Azzopardi also shared the Millburn Police release regarding the pursuit, revealing that the 2020 BMW X7 had been stolen out of Bridgwater. He said that the vehicle was being tracked using technology installed in the car. Millburn PD picked up the tracking at the Maplewood border and pursued the vehicle along Valley to Parker and then Prospect, where the crash occurred. The suspect, Jason Cathcart, 20, of Kearny, NJ, was then pursued on foot by Maplewood and Millburn PD and arrested.
Regarding reports of Millburn Police vehicles speeding on Ridgewood Road, through the Village and on Hixon Place, Azzopardi said that there were two initial officers responding, following by two more officers.
Per the Millburn Police:
On August 28, 2023 at 8:10 pm Millburn Police received a report that a stolen vehicle was being tracked traveling in and around our jurisdiction border for approximately 30 minutes. The vehicle was a 2020 BMW X7 stolen out of Bridgewater NJ at 7:20 pm. Millburn Police Officer Matos and Seebohm patrolled the border of Millburn and Maplewood where it continued to be tracked. Officer Matos located vehicle and attempted to stop it. The vehicle eluded police and fled down Valley St. Officer Matos Pursued the stolen vehicle onto Parker Ave, where the stolen vehicle struck two vehicles at the intersection of Parker and Prospect, stolen vehicle then veered off roadway and struck the front steps and fence of a Prospect Street residence. The actor the fled-on foot. A witness stated he observed the actor hiding under a parked vehicle in front of a Summit Ave residence, where Millburn Officer’s were able to locate the suspect and place him under arrest. The suspect Jason Cathcart, 20 years old of Kearny NJ was transported to Millburn Police HQ for Processing. He was charged with eluding, resisting arrest, receiving stolen property and multiple motor vehicle violations and was released on his own recognizance. The drivers of the two vehicle that were struck by stolen car both had minor injuries and refused further medical treatment.
