Jackson, NJ man sentenced for ramming police vehicle, fleeing

A Jackson man has been sentenced to five years in prison for ramming a police vehicle and nearly hitting detectives with his Jeep while fleeing from two different traffic stops in 2022.

Kevin Valverde-Cruz, 21, was sentenced on Friday as a result of prior guilty pleas to charges of aggravated assault and eluding, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

On Oct. 18, 2022, Lakewood detectives attempted to pull over a white Jeep Grand Cherokee for excessive speeds, but the driver would not stop and a police pursuit ensued, police said. The chase was ultimately terminated on the Parkway due to safety concerns.

Later that evening, officials said, the same vehicle was located on the shoulder of Central Avenue in Lakewood. When detectives approached, the driver put the Jeep in reverse and struck the detectives' vehicle. He then turned back into the roadway, almost striking the detectives, and fled the area, officials said.

An investigation determined that Valverde-Cruz was the operator of the vehicle on that day, and on Jan. 10 of this year, officials executed a search warrant of his residence in Jackson.

Valverde-Cruz was arrested at the home without incident, the prosecutor's office said. The Jeep was also located at the residence.

The eluding and the aggravated assault offenses each earned five-year sentences, but a judge ruled that they can be served concurrently.

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