Driver Sought After Hitting Ocean County Sheriff's Vehicle While Fleeing Stop In Brick

BRICK, NJ — Authorities are searching for the driver of a black Honda Civic that fled a traffic stop in Brick after smashing into a sheriff's vehicle.

The Ocean County Sheriff's Office shared photos of the car on the department's Facebook page following the incident that happened about 11 a.m. Sunday in Brick.

A sheriff's officer tried to pull over the car, described as a newer model Honda Civic hatchback, near the intersection of Brick Boulevard and Hooper Avenue and the Honda pulled into the Brick Mall, where Chambers Bridge Road turns into Hooper Avenue.

The car parked behind the building for a moment, but the driver put the car in reverse and backed into the sheriff's officer's vehicle, then put the car in drive, hitting a red dumpster as the driver fled, the sheriff's office said.

The vehicle was last seen heading south on Hooper Avenue toward the Cedar Bridge Avenue-Mantoloking Road intersection in Brick, the sheriff's office said.

The car had a temporary New Jersey license plate starting with the letter C, and the car will have damage to the driver's side front end, possibly with red paint on the car, and damage to the rear bumper on the driver's side, the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff's office described the driver as a Hispanic male with black hair and wearing a black hat.

Anyone who may be able to identify the vehicle or the driver is asked to contact Sheriff's Detective Joseph Vanderveen at jvanderveen@co.ocean.nj.us.