A stolen automobile crashed into a school building on Tuesday morning after a chase, according to police.
Around 10:45 a.m., the crash left car components strewn throughout the Sheila Oliver Academy campus.
The 45-minute chase resulted in the arrest of five persons.
The police chase began 13 miles away in Fort Lee, across county and city boundaries, and ended at the back of the primary school.
Officials said the suspect car, a BMW X7, attempted to elude New Jersey State Police by driving through Newark on only three wheels.
The driver led police on a chase from the Cross Bronx Expressway, across the George Washington Bridge, down the turnpike, and into Newark, where it collided with a parked automobile, losing its front passenger wheel, but continued driving.
“They made quite a distance without a tire because Newark is maybe six to seven blocks eastbound from here,” said East Orange Police Deputy Chief Kasim Gilyard.
The chase stopped when the BMW drove through a park, ran over fences, crossed the basketball court, and fell in the bleachers.
“We just thank god that no one got hurt, normally this park is used for our residents, our young kids in the school behind me, we are just glad no one was in the park at that time,” said Ted Green, the mayor of East Orange.
Officials report that the fence, running route, and stadium have all been damaged.
“We just rubberized a track less than five days ago, so we were preparing to open for what it’s a wonderful spring, summer season and the audacity of criminals to vandalize public infrastructure that is a benefit for all of us around here…it’s devastating,” Naiima Fauntleroy, 5, of East Orange City
According to authorities, the automobile was involved in a previous home burglary. Details about the occurrence were unknown.
