New Jersey

Sayreville Man Poses as Cop, Carjacks Woman Before Triple Collision: Middlesex County Prosecutor

The 44-year-old suspect punched the female driver, entered her car and kept beating her before she was able to flee, officials said

What to Know

  • A Sayreville man was arrested Wednesday for carjacking a woman and crashing head-on into two other vehicles, NJ law officials said
  • He allegedly approached the woman, showed her a badge and a gun, then beat her, stole her car, and crashed into two oncoming vehicles
  • The 44-year-old faces a host of charges, including impersonating a police officer and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose

A Sayreville man has been arrested and charged for posing as a police officer and carjacking a woman before colliding head-on with another vehicle, officials from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office said. 

John Spina, 44,  was arrested Wednesday. He faces a host of charges, including attempted murder, carjacking, two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon and two counts of aggravated assault.

He was also charged with being a certain person prohibited from having a weapon due to a prior, unrelated criminal offense, officials said.

During an investigation, detectives determined that the Spina allegedly approached the female driver in the parking lot of the Wick Plaza shopping mall in Edison at around 1:16 p.m. Tuesday, law enforcement officials said. He then displayed a badge and a gun.

As soon as the victim rolled down her car window, the 44-year-old began punching her, then entered her car and continued to beat her before she was able to flee.

Authorities said the victim was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where she was treated and released.

A police pursuit ensued, and Spina fled the scene in the woman's car, side-swiping two oncoming vehicles and hitting the third vehicle head-on, officials said. He was apprehended by officers when he fled the vehicle on foot.

The driver of the third vehicle was taken to Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge Division, where she was treated and released.

The investigation is active and ongoing.

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