High-Speed Chase Ends with Crash in Chatham; Two Suspects in Custody

Madison police corner suspects after midnight chase; Morris County agencies assist in the capture.

MORRISTOWN, NJ - In the early hours of Friday, October 6, a routine burglary patrol by the Madison Police Department turned into a high-speed pursuit that culminated with a car crash in Chatham Borough.

Around 2:49 a.m., Ptl. Jon Finocchiaro of the Madison Police Department was on burglary patrol near Park Lane when he spotted a black 2016 Lexus sedan, registered as a rental, moving suspiciously on a dead-end street and committing traffic violations. As Finocchiaro tried to intercept, the vehicle's headlights were turned off and it sped away. Despite a brief chase, the Lexus crashed into a retaining wall in Chatham Borough. The occupants—a driver and his passenger—attempted to flee on foot but were soon apprehended.

The driver, 18-year-old Jaquan Williams of Bloomfield, NJ, and his passenger, a 15-year-old male from Newark, NJ, were taken into custody without further incident. Williams faces charges of 2nd-degree eluding and 4th-degree obstructing a criminal investigation. Additionally, both suspects received motor vehicle traffic summonses. The younger suspect was charged with resisting arrest and later released to a family member, awaiting an appearance in Morris County Family Court. Meanwhile, Williams was transferred to the Morris County Jail to await his hearing in Morris County Superior Court.

Various local agencies provided assistance in the operation, including police departments from Chatham Borough, Florham Park, Chatham Township, New Jersey Transit Police, New Jersey State Police, Morris County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit, and Morris Township.

The Madison Police Division of Investigations is currently examining further details of the incident. As with all legal proceedings, "The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."