An Atlantic City carjacking suspect was arrested in Linwood after leading Atlantic City police on a multi-town chase in a stolen vehicle.
Kevin Wade, 59, of Philadelphia, is jailed on charges including carjacking and obstruction in the incident that began in Atlantic City and ended with the stolen vehicle crashed into a Linwood home.
Atlantic City Officer Heriberto Barrios-Gomez was on foot patrol near the beach block of Arkansas Avenue just before 2 p.m. Saturday, when he heard a woman screaming, Lt. Kevin Fair said.
The 46-year-old Deptford woman was pulling on the driver's side door of the vehicle. As the officer ran toward her, the car took off, according to the report.
The unnamed victim was in the driver's seat when she said Wade got into the passenger seat and tried locking the doors.
The woman then ran out of the car, and Wade got into the driver's seat and took off, she and a witness told police.
Sgt. Annese Parks found the stolen car but Wade refused to stop, leading police on a chase into Pleasantville, where the pursuit was terminated because of the danger to pedestrians on Main Street, Fair said.
When Linwood police were called to the area of Shore Road and Country Club Drive for an erratic driver, they didn't realize at first the connection to Atlantic City's carjacking, Lt. Steven Cunningham said.
After realizing the car was part of a county-wide alert put out earlier, Officers Michael Fountas and Brandon Settle conducted a high-risk motor vehicle stop, and ordered the driver out of the car.
Wade refused the officers’ commands and fled the area, according to the report.
After a brief chase, Wade lost control of the vehicle and drove onto the front lawn of a Delmar Avenue home, striking shrubs, bushes and the house, Cunningham said.
Officers ordered Wade out of the vehicle, but he refused, and instead locked the doors.
The officers then broke the front driver’s side window and took Wade into custody.
There were no reported injuries.
Wade was charged by Atlantic City police with carjacking, criminal attempt, eluding, burglary and simple assault. Linwood police charged him with resisting by flight, two counts of criminal mischief, obstruction, driving while suspended, reckless driving, careless driving, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident and failure to report an accident.
He is in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Note: This story originally ran April 17. It has been updated to add details of the Atlantic City carjacking.
