Officers from the Holmdel Police Department recently took two juveniles into custody after identifying that the vehicle in which the two were traveling was previously stolen in New York.
According to Lieutenant Michael Pigott, a spokesperson for the Holmdel Police, Officer David D’Arcy was patrolling in the vicinity of Route 520 at approximately 11:58 a.m. on Wednesday, January 21st when the automated license plate reader in his vehicle indicated that the gray Nissan Maxima driving by was stolen.
The officer then pursued the vehicle, signaling the driver to stop the car, at which time the driver pulled into a parking lot at a nearby shopping center and the passenger reportedly attempted to flee on foot. D’Arcy took the driver into custody and then alerted his fellow officers via radio transmission, providing them with the passenger’s description.
The passenger was taken into custody shortly thereafter in a coordinated effort by police from the Holmdel, Middletown, and Brookdale police departments. The two young men, whose identities remain undisclosed due to their status as juveniles (ages 16 and 17), were then issued juvenile complaints for receiving stolen property, hindering apprehension, and obstruction of the administration of the law.
State law in New Jersey dictates that this case will be adjudicated in juvenile, as opposed to adult court, because the defendants are under the age of 18. As a result, they will not face the same penalties as those facing criminal charges in adult court for the same offenses. Instead, if they are found guilty, the presiding judge will determine their respective sentences in accordance with the established standard in juvenile court, which is focused on rehabilitation and the best interests of the child.
It is important to keep in mind that the prosecution can request that a juvenile accused of a criminal offense have his or her case transferred to adult court. This is typically done in more serious cases in which the juvenile is accused of a very egregious crime or the juvenile is very close to the age of 18. If the State requests that these juveniles be tried as adults and said request is granted, these young men will face penalties including a prison sentence and one or more charges on their criminal records.
For additional information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Juveniles caught driving stolen car in Holmdel, police say