MOUNT OLIVE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Morris County) — A Budd Lake man is facing charges after police said he led officers on a pursuit late Friday night that left a passenger injured when they jumped from his moving vehicle.
According to police, the incident began around 11:51 p.m. Sept. 19 when an officer on patrol observed a beige Toyota traveling east on Route 46 with expired registration. The driver, identified as Stephen Parker, 62, of Budd Lake, allegedly failed to stop when the officer attempted a traffic stop.
Instead, Parker drove through a Delta gas station lot and then onto Elizabeth Lane at an increasing rate of speed, police said. During the pursuit, the passenger door opened and a passenger jumped out, sustaining minor injuries that did not require medical transport.
The Toyota was later located parked at the Minute Mart, and Parker was found walking nearby on Village Way. He was taken into custody without incident.
Parker was charged with eluding police with a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury, failure to report an accident, reckless driving, careless driving, speeding and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.
He was released pending a court hearing, police said.
