SHAWCREST — Today, at about 2:30 a.m., Lower Township Police Department reported that Patrolman Shaun Whittington saw a vehicle leaving Wildwood into the Shawcrest section of the township at a high rate of speed.
The vehicle was a 2001 four-door Acura that traveled onto the Garden State Parkway with two males in the rear of the vehicle motioning to police in a manner that lead officers to believe that they may have needed assistance or were being held against their will.
The vehicle stopped at Mile Marker .05 and let those subjects out, and continued south on the parkway.
Whittington picked up the two men as Cpl. Ernie Macomber continued to pursue the vehicle until the driver stopped, and attempted to flee on foot near the Cape May Canal.
She was later apprehended after a brief foot chase.
Further investigation revealed that the vehicle was originally stolen out of Villas on July 16 during a Chinese food delivery in which an allegedly fake order was phoned in, and as it was being delivered, an unknown person stolen the delivery vehicle.
The suspects had apparently changed the tags on the vehicle.
The vehicle had New York plates at the time of the theft, and displayed Delaware plates at the time of apprehension.
The driver was identified as Cassandra Kirwin, 22, of the 3000 block Shunpike in Rio Grande, Middle Township.
She was charged with motor vehicle theft and eluding.
Municipal Court Judge David DeWeese set her bail at $25,000.
In addition, she was charged with multiple traffic violations including speeding, reckless driving, fictious plates, driving while suspended and unlicensed driver.
Kirwin was remanded to county jail in lieu of bail
The case was investigation by Patrolman Shaun Whittington, Cpl. Ernie Macomber, Patrolman Chad Fitzmaurice, Sgt. Martin Biersbach and Detective Robert Smith.
Sea Isle City – If you prefer concrete and stone yards because they require less upkeep, that's perfectly fine and your prerogative. But no need to criticize and put down people choosing a more natural yard…
