Essex Vehicle Thieves Sent To Prison For Chase, Crash With Police Car

Plea bargains are sending a 20-year-old Orange man to state prison for a minimum of 3½ years and his 19-year-old Newark accomplice for at least a year and a half for a stolen vehicle pursuit that included a crash with a police car in Morris County.

Morris County Courthouse
Photo Credit: *morriscountynj.gov*

Valerie Musson

09/09/2020 3:28 p.m.

Alakir Wardlaw of Orange was driving a stolen Dodge Durango and Wanya McHenry of Newark a stolen Toyota Highlander when Denville police chased them in June 2019, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp said.

Wardlaw fled on foot with an underage boy after the Durango slammed into a police car, Knapp said.

Inside, police found a defaced handgun, the prosecutor said.

Police found the Highlander nearby and identified the driver as McHenry.

Wardlaw eventually pleaded guilty to a gun possession charge, as well as employing a juvenile in a crime, eluding, motor vehicle theft and resisting arrest.

In exchange, a Superior Court judge in Morristown sentenced Wardlaw to five years in state prison with 42 months of parole ineligibility.

McHenry pleaded guilty to using a juvenile in a crime and receiving stolen property and was sentenced to four years in state prison, 18 months of which he must serve before he'll be eligible for parole.

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