Man who fired shots at multiple cars, led police on pursuit and crashed into school bus in Warren County identified by authorities
LOPATCONG TOWNSHIP, NJ (Warren County) – The Warren County Prosecutor’s Office have identified 28-year-old Brett M. Wyatt, Jr. of Phillipsburg as the man who allegedly fired shots at multiple cars, led police on a pursuit and then crashed into a school bus Tuesday in Warren County.
On Dec. 12, at around 2:45 p.m., the Lopatcong Police were dispatched to the area of Uniontown Road for a report of a man who had fired shots at a parked truck. The passenger side window of the truck, as well as the passenger side tires, were found to have been damaged by gun fire, authorities said.
The caller described the vehicle as a yellow hatchback sedan. While responding to the scene, an officer observed the described vehicle traveling west on Route 57 near the intersection with Route 519, the prosecutor’s office said.
The investigation revealed that Wyatt continued west on Route 57 where he stopped in traffic at a temporary construction zone near Stryker’s Road. While stopped, he fired shots at two occupied vehicles, authorities said.
Wyatt then pulled onto the shoulder and next to a Tesla that was stopped in the construction zone at which time he fired three shots into the passenger side of the car, which also was traveling west on Route 57. The gun fire struck the car on the passenger side rear quarter panel, the passenger side door just below the door handle and the passenger side front fender. The driver of that car was the sole occupant and was not injured, the prosecutor’s office said.
Wyatt then fired upon a Chevrolet sedan traveling east on Route 57. That vehicle was struck on the driver side door just above the door handle. The driver of that vehicle was the sole occupant and was not injured, authorities said.
Wyatt continued west on Route 57, entering Route 22, thereafter exiting onto South Fifth Street at which time he was confronted by a Lopatcong officer who was responding. He proceeded through the Speedway gas station and reentered Route 22 west at a high rate of speed, the prosecutor’s office said.
The officer pursued the subject vehicle, as it proceeded to drive recklessly in and out of traffic, and into the opposite lane of travel, traveling west in the east bound lanes of Route 22 before returning to Route 22 west. The pursuit continued on Route 22 west and into Pennsylvania via the toll bridge, authorities said.
Wyatt proceeded west on Route 22 in Pennsylvania, the subject continued weaving in and out of traffic and passing vehicles on the shoulder at speeds in excess of 100 mph. Due to traffic, the pursuit was terminated by the Lopatcong Police near the Route 33 exit at around 2:52 p.m., the prosecutor’s office said.
A BOLO was issued with a description of the Wyatt’s vehicle and partial plate information, authorities said.
Then at around 3:15 p.m., a Pennsylvania State Trooper, who was positioned in the grass median of the Schoenersville Road exit from Route 22, observed a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s vehicle exiting onto Schoenersville Road, the prosecutor’s office said.
The Trooper confirmed the identification of the vehicle and attempted a stop, however the subject fled onto Route 22 east, weaving in and out of traffic and traveling on the shoulders of the roadway at speeds in excess of 100 mph, authorities said.
The vehicle came back into New Jersey as Wyatt was being pursued by Pennsylvania State Police. While traveling at a high rate of speed, Wyatt lost control of his vehicle on the curve by the Phillipsburg Post Office and crashed into a school bus on Route 22 east near Morris Street, the prosecutor’s office said.
Wyatt suffered major injuries and was flown to St. Luke’s Fountain Hill, Bethlehem, Pa where he remains hospitalized, authorities said.
A search of the vehicle revealed that Wyatt was in possession of three guns – a 9mm Glock hand gun, a 10mm Glock handgun and a Kel-Tec 9mm Carbine with hundreds of rounds of ammunition for both the 9mm and 10mm guns, the prosecutor’s office said.
The investigation revealed that the 10mm Glock had miss fired and a round was found jammed in the gun. Neither the 9mm Glock nor the Kel-Tec 9mm Carbine were loaded, authorities said.
A quantity of a suspicious substance was also recovered from the vehicle and will be submitted to the New Jersey State Police Laboratory for testing, the prosecutor’s office said.
The investigation continues with the filing of criminal charges pending, authorities said.
