A Brooklyn man who authorities say stole a New York City taxicab and tore through multiple Somerset County towns in a high-speed chase is headed to state prison for five years. Prosecutors say the June 1, 2025 pursuit started after the cab was taken on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and ended with a string of crashes on Route 22 in Bridgewater Township. Court filings and news reports say the driver hit highway speeds, rammed several police vehicles, cut through residential yards, then bailed out and tried to sprint into nearby woods before officers brought him down.
How the Chase Unfolded
According to investigators, the chaos first hit Somerset County when Springfield Township officers reported a stolen cab and an officer struck while standing outside his vehicle. State troopers later spotted the taxi on I-287, and the pursuit rolled onto Route 202 and then Route 22 as officers tried to box the driver in.
Authorities say they attempted a high-risk stop at Whiton Road, but the chase kept going until the cab was finally disabled near milepost 35.5 in Bridgewater after several collisions. State police statements and local coverage describe a brief foot chase before officers secured the scene and took the suspect into custody. As Patch reported, police then moved in to recover the cab and clear the wreckage.
High Speeds and Neighborhood Damage
Prosecutors say the driver, identified in court papers as Ashton Charles, pushed the stolen cab up to 100 miles per hour while weaving through traffic and running red lights. A summary from the prosecutor's office, cited in local reporting, describes the cab jumping onto a sidewalk, tearing across a homeowner’s lawn, and knocking over a light pole. During one close call, a Springfield officer was clipped by the cab’s passenger-side mirror, according to that summary.
Those details come from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s account of the pursuit, as reported by Daily Voice, which paints a picture of a chase that briefly turned quiet residential blocks into a danger zone.
Charges and Arrest
Once the cab was disabled on Route 22, authorities say Charles bolted on foot but did not get far before troopers caught him. Two state troopers sustained minor injuries tied to the collisions during the pursuit, according to local reports.
News accounts list the charges as including receiving a stolen vehicle, several counts of criminal mischief, resisting arrest, eluding, and multiple counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement. The arrest timeline and charge sheet were outlined by state police and then detailed by local media, including WRNJ Radio.
Sentence and What Comes Next
On Thursday, July 9, 2026, Charles pleaded guilty to leading police on the multi-town pursuit, and a judge handed down a five-year state prison sentence, according to local coverage. The punishment wraps up the Somerset County case tied to the June 1, 2025 cab theft and ensuing chase.
Authorities have not publicly said whether any additional charges are pending in New York related to the reported Fifth Avenue theft. Court records and news reports note that prosecutors repeatedly stressed how the chase put officers and motorists in several towns at serious risk. For detailed reporting on the plea and sentence, see Daily Voice.
Legal Context
Under New Jersey law, eluding is ordinarily a third-degree crime, but it is elevated to a second-degree offense if the driver’s attempt to escape creates a risk of death or injury. Prosecutors cited that distinction in Charles’s case, pointing to the high speeds, collisions, and reported injuries.
Second-degree offenses in New Jersey come with significantly tougher potential penalties than third-degree crimes, and courts often impose prison terms when a pursuit endangers the public. Legal analyses and state court decisions make clear that prosecutors can seek enhanced exposure on eluding and related assault counts when a chase involves dangerous driving or causes injuries. For more background on how New Jersey courts have handled eluding cases, see Justia.
