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At 3:51 p.m. on Oct. 24, 2022, Berkeley Heights Police responded to the parking lot at the Brook Hill Swim Club in Watchung for a report of vehicles driving recklessly and revving their engines at a high volume, Somerset District Attorney John McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and Watchung Borough Chief of Police Scott Anderle said.
Edwin Dimas-Guerrero was operating a 2019 Dodge Charger with no license plates and fled the scene, authorities said. Dimas-Guerrero ignored police orders to stop, driving at a high speed and illegally passing vehicles by driving over the centerline into the oncoming lane, authorities said.
Police ended the initial pursuit, but Dimas-Guerrero again encountered officers in Warren. He again refused police orders to stop and drove his vehicle toward a police vehicle at a speed of 60 mph, authorities said. The officer stopped his patrol vehicle in the center of the roadway with emergency lights activated. Instead of stopping, Dimas-Guerrero drove directly at the patrol vehicle without slowing, swerving only at the last moment to avoid a head-on crash, authorities said.
Not done with re-enacting "Fast and Furious", Dimas-Guerrero proceeded to evade police by driving off the roadway and onto private property, authorities said. He drove back onto the roadway, steering his vehicle directly into the front driver's side of a Warren police vehicle, authorities said. Dimas-Guerrero's vehicle struck a tree, causing the rear bumper to detach, authorities said.
Dimas-Guerrero's path was blocked by another police vehicle, so he rammed his Dodge Charger into the front driver's side of the cop car, steering into a cul-de-sac on Dawn Way, authorities said. That proved to be his downfall as multiple police vehicles surrounded him to prevent him from driving away and he was removed and placed under arrest, authorities said.
On Dimas-Guerrero’s detached rear bumper, police discovered his license plate was concealed by an electronically controlled mechanical cover, authorities said. The cover was lowered to prevent anyone from reading the license plate, which would reveal his identity as the registered owner.
In November, Dimas-Guerrero pleaded guilty to eluding, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, criminal possession, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, hindering apprehension and reckless driving. He was also fined $18,807.94 for the damage he caused to multiple police vehicles.
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