Major Charges Brought Against Driver In East Rutherford Chase, Crash That Injured Six

Charges mounted against a wrong-way driver who rolled his Mercedes into a building -- injuring five occupants, some of them seriously --while trying to flee East Rutherford police over the weekend.

Candlewyck Diner (left), Whitney Building (far right)
Photo Credit: *Googlemaps*

Jerry DeMarco

07/16/2018 8:06 p.m.

Enrique Luis Garcia, who turns 26 this Wednesday, was on the suspended list when his 2007 Mercedes Benz CL3 blew past police at more than 90 miles an hour on northbound Route 120 around 3:30 a.m. Saturday, launching a chase, records show.

Police broke off the chase but a short time later discovered that the car struck the Whitney Building on Paterson Avenue, across from the Candlewyck Diner, just before 3:45 a.m.

Garcia -- whose most recent address was in North Bergen -- tried to run but was quickly caught, police said.

After a brief hospitalization he was brought to the Bergen County Jail, where he remained Monday.

Garcia is charged with:

five counts of aggravated assault while fleeing law enforcement;
two counts of assault by auto;
two counts of resisting arrest;
leaving the scene of a crash resulting in bodily injury;
causing a serious injury while driving with a suspended license.

Meanwhile at least two of his passengers remained hospitalized with serious injuries.

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