45°
Superior Court Judge James J. Guida issued the warrant yesterday after Steven Baker, 29 (inset, above), failed to show for his arraignment.
The other driver, 26-year-old Harry Halvorsen III of Wallington, was in court and arraigned yesterday because he’s being held on $350,000 bail in the Bergen County Jail on charges of assault by auto and raping the woman.
Harry Halvorsen III MUGSHOT: Courtesy BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR / STORY / PHOTO: CLIFFVIEW PILOT Courthouse Reporter Mary K. Miraglia
Defense attorney Vincent Basile entered a not-guilty plea for him.
Baker was freed on $10,000 bail three days after the crash, which occurred a year ago this Thursday. He’s charged with two counts of serious bodily injury to the victim by driving recklessly.
Both men also were charged with driving while on the suspended list.
Baker was drunk as he headed west on eastbound Route 46 in a 2000 Mitsubishi GS when the crash occurred at Henry Street around 1:30 a.m. on March 12, 2014, authorities said at the time.
Both men were arrested for assault by auto after three Garfield firefighters who heard the crash pulled the then-25-year old female passenger from Halvorsen’s burning 1970 Mercury Cougar.
Detectives re-arrested Halvorsen six weeks later on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a victim who was physically incapacitated.
An indictment returned in December charges him with four counts of causing serious bodily injury by driving recklessly, one of sexual assault of a helpless victim through vaginal intercourse or fellatio and another of hindering apprehension.
STORY / COURT PHOTOS: CLIFFVIEW PILOT Courthouse Reporter Mary K. Miraglia / MUGSHOTS: Courtesy BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR
Click here to follow Daily Voice Hackensack and receive free news updates.
