Car Thieves Lead Wild Chase, Slam Head-On Into Officer's Vehicle, Police Say

Two car thieves were arrested and a third remains at-large following a wild early-morning chase Thursday in Springfield, where three men attempted to elude authorities as they slammed head-on into an officer's vehicle, drove across lawns and knocked down mailboxes before the men jumped out and the runaway SUV took out a fire hydrant, police said.

Andrew Goins, 19, and Hakeem Camacho, 18, both of Irvington, were charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, theft of a motor vehicle and resisting arrest. They are each charged with 12 separate counts of burglary to a motor vehicle and theft from a motor vehicle.

Goins, identified as the driver of the vehicle, is also charged with two counts of aggravated assault of a police officer, aggravated assault with a weapon (the vehicle), possession of a weapon (the vehicle) for unlawful purposes, as well as eluding police in a motor vehicle.

Det. Lt. Judd Levenson said the police department received a call at shortly before 5 a.m. Thursday from a Henshaw Avenue resident who reported a 2008 Honda CRV had been stolen from the driveway.

According to the resident, the car had been parked closest to the home, with another vehicle parked behind it. In leaving the scene, Levenson said, Goins drove back and forth hitting the house and the car parked behind it.

Based on the vehicle's description and direction it was heading, Officer Erik Knudsen was able to locate the vehicle stopped at a red light. When the driver saw the police car, he went through the light, resulting in a pursuit across Springfield, Levenson said.

Despite construction barricades, Levenson said Goins drove down Hillside Avenue and through the residential side streets, driving across lawns and knocking down mailboxes before heading back to Hillside Avenue.

Officer Robert Bertucci, who was in his patrol car at the intersection of Hillside and South Springfield avenues was stuck head-on as Goins deliberately rammed him, Levenson said.

The CRV bounced off Bertucci's car and into Knudsen's vehicle before it was driven into a gas station where the three occupants jumped from the passengers' side, Levenson said.

The driverless vehicle continued down South Springfield Avenue where it knocked into posts and uprooted a fire hydrant and eventually came to rest on a South Springfield Avenue lawn, Levenson said.

While the three were initially able to evade police, with the assistance of Mountainside, Union Township, Union County and Summit police departments as well as the Union County's Sheriff's K-9 Unit, Goins and Camacho were found hiding behind residences on New Brook Lane, Levenson said.

The third occupant was observed by police on Route 22 East, but was able to flee into The Point condominiums, Levenson said.

Levenson said detectives have tentatively identified the third person, but are withholding the individual's name until warrants are issued and the person is apprehended.

GPS units, wallets and tools were recovered in the stolen SUV that Levenson said were stolen from cars in the area of Henshaw Avenue as well as from cars that were broken into earlier in the night in Mountainside.

Levenson said officers also found a 2000 GMC van that had been stolen from Irvington. Goins and Camacho are also charged with stealing that vehicle "before trading up" to the CRV in Springfield, Levenson said.

The pair is being investigated for a series of similar motor vehicle thefts that took place in the Salter Street area three weeks ago, Levenson said.

None of the 15 cars that were known to be entered in Springfield were forcibly entered, according to Levenson, who urged residents to lock their vehicles.

Bertucci was transported to Overlook Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and released.