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The 19-year-old driver of the Jeep Cherokee, Ambiorix Ramierez of New Brunswick, was hit with multiple charges including eluding, obstruction and intent to sell a controlled dangerous substance, driving without a license, reckless driving, careless driving, failure to maintain lane, failure to signal lane change, failure to observe red traffic signal and improper passing on the right, according to a Toms River police statement released on Friday.
Toms River Police Officer Phil Bianco spotted the Jeep speeding southbound on Route 35 about 6 p.m. on Sunday, police said.
Bianco tried to stop the Jeep, but it sped off and its occupants began tossing bricks of heroin out the window "onto the highway disregarding the red traffic signals," police said.
Ramierez ultimately backed into a driveway and the three suspects fled on foot, police said.
Lavallette police, Seaside Heights police and Ocean County Sheriff officers helped Toms River police capture Ramierez and two other suspects: Allen Pittman, 28, of South Plainfield and Nasiyr Peters, 21, of Jamesburg, police said. Pittman and Peters were charged with obstruction and intent to sell a controlled dangerous substance.
Officers collected 16 bundles of heroin, a cellophane bag of oxycontin and an undisclosed amount of cash.
The Ocean County Sheriff Department's K-9 officer helped check the area for additional drugs. Additional charges are pending, police said.
On Facebook, the Toms River Police Department thanked "all of the assisting agencies, as well as the many vigilant witnesses on scene."
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