Drinking Driver Hits Multiple Cars, Goes Airborne, Jumps Into Lake In Wild Cop Chase, NJ Police Say

LACEY, NJ — A Manchester man who was openly drinking alcohol while driving a car he did not have consent to drive was caught after a wild cop chase Thursday afternoon in Lacey that involved multiple cars being hit, the driver's car going airborne, the driver crashing into a utility pole and ultimately fleeing on foot and diving into Deerhead Lake, where officers finally arrested him, Lacey police said.

Ronald Banilov, 33, was charged with a slew of offenses, motor vehicle violations and a municipal violation for not having a beach badge.

It started at about 3:46 p.m. July 17 when police got a call that a silver Hyundai Tucson was driving south on Route 9, swerving in and out of traffic as the driver, later identified as Banilov, drank alcohol from a bottle, according to a news release.

The caller followed the car and updated police that the car struck a curb as it turned onto Beach Boulevard, nearly causing several head-on collisions as it drove the wrong way down the road, police said.

The car then turned around on Orlando Drive, struck the caller's car and fled at a high speed toward Route 9 as officers began to flood the area.

As officers searched for the Hyundai, there was a report of the same vehicle speeding and passing other motorists on the shoulder of Lacey Road, police said.

A detective found the car and was able to pull Banilov over into a parking lot on Lacey Road. But as the officer approached the driver, he fled, crashing into the detective's police car. He then sped off eastbound in the westbound lane of Lacey Road, crashing into another patrol car, police said. He continued to flee, turning into the Barnegat Pines neighborhood, where the chase was stopped, police said.

Banilov kept driving recklessly without police following him. He crossed Lacey Road into Cranbury Hill and emerged back on Lacey Road, where officers began following him again.

He kept speeding and turned onto Municipal Lane and into the parking lot of the Lacey Township Recreation Department, police said. The Hyundai nearly struck even more patrol vehicles as it went over the curb into the culvert, becoming airborne and landing back in the roadway, police said.

Banilov then sped through police headquarters, across Lacey Road and onto Arlington Avenue. Police were about to call off the chase in the residential area when the Hyundai's wheels became disabled from the crash with the culvert. The Hyundai collided with a utility pole at Arlington Avenue and Lakeside Drive North, police said.

At that point, Banilov got out and fled on foot into the woods, police said. He jumped into Deerhead Lake, where police finally caught up with him.

Officers learned that Banilov had taken the car without consent and was intoxicated.

Banilov was charged with second-degree eluding police in a motor vehicle, two counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement, resisting arrest by flight, resisting arrest, obstruction, five counts of criminal mischief, two counts of trespassing, and taking a motor vehicle without consent. He was also issued multiple motor vehicle summonses including but not limited to DWI, refusal to submit to breath testing, failure to have an interlock device, driving while suspended, six counts of reckless driving, five counts of leaving the scene of a crash, five counts of failure to report a crash, three counts of speeding, driving over a sidewalk, failure to observe traffic signal, failure to observe stop sign, failure to keep right and careless driving.

Banilov was also issued a municipal ordinance violation for swimming in the lake without a beach badge.

He was taken to Ocean County Jail.