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The officers pursued Hal Wander, 25, of Port Charlotte, after he sped through a designated checkpoint without stopping at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst military base in Burlington County, NJ on Nov. 16, 2020.
Wander, who records show had prior arrests in Florida involving marijuana and stolen property, admitted deliberately plowing into vehicles that both officers were driving.
One of the officers got out and reached into Wander's car to try and kill the ignition, but Wander hit the gas, dragging him several feet, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said.
Wander "continued to drive his vehicle dangerously until he hit a utility pole, came to a stop and was arrested," Sellinger said.
Rather than face trial, Wander pleaded guilty via teleconference with a U.S. District Court judge in Camden this week to two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Sentencing was scheduled for June 15.
Federal prosecutors noted that Wander has “clearly demonstrated a recognition and affirmative acceptance of personal responsibility for the offense charged” and said they would support a reduced sentence if he stays out of trouble until then, according to a plea agreement filed in federal court in Camden.
Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations' Detachment 307 with the investigation leading to the plea, secured by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa T. Wiygul of his Criminal Division in Camden.
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