Man Arrested After Fleeing During Drug Probe In Toms River: Prosecutor

TOMS RIVER, NJ — An Ocean County man charged with heroin and cocaine distribution has been arrested, two weeks after he took off when authorities tried to pull him over, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday.

Jamar Montgomery, 30, is being held at the Ocean County Jail in Toms River, pending a detention hearing.

Montgomery, of Lakewood, had been under surveillance as part of an investigation into narcotics distribution at the Freedom Village apartment complex in Toms River, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Authorities had identified an apartment on Dream Court as one Montgomery was using to store and distribute drugs. On Feb. 8, detectives saw Montgomery leave the apartment and get into a vehicle. As he started to drive off, detectives learned Montgomery's license was suspended, and tried to pull him over, authorities said.

Montgomery took off, cutting in front of other motorists and eventually entering the Garden State Parkway northbound, where Toms River police terminated the pursuit and notified New Jersey State Police, authorities said.

That evening, detectives executed a court-authorized search warrant at the Dream Court apartment and seized about 10 grams of crack cocaine, 31 grams of marijuana, two wax folds of heroin, an unspecified quantity of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia indicative of narcotics distribution, and about $4,850 in cash, authorities said.

On Tuesday Montgomery was seen returning to the Dream Court apartment. Later as he left the apartment and tried to get into his vehicle, Toms River police tried to arrest him but he ran back inside the apartment and refused to come out, authorities said.

Eventually Montgomery surrendered and was arrested, and authorities executed search warrants on the apartment and Montgomery's vehicle, and seized marijuana and drug paraphernalia indicative of narcotics distribution, he said.

In connection with the Feb. 8 search warrant, Montgomery has been charged with possession of less than one-half ounce of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of less than one-half ounce of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of less than one-half ounce of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of one-half ounce or more but less than 5 pounds of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of heroin, possession of crack cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and financial facilitation. He also was charged with eluding.

In connection with the Feb. 20 search warrants, he was charged with possession of more than 1 ounce but less than 5 pounds of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting arrest by flight, authorities said.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Asset Forfeiture Unit, Toms River Police Department, Toms River Police Department Emergency Services Unit, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit collaborated on the investigation.