TOMS RIVER, NJ — Andrew Williams, 45, of Atlantic City, was sentenced Thursday to ten years in New Jersey State Prison for eluding police, along with additional concurrent prison terms for multiple burglary and credit card fraud charges, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
The sentence, issued by Superior Court Judge David M. Fritch, includes an eight-year term for burglary under the No Early Release Act (NERA), requiring Williams to serve at least 85% of that sentence before becoming eligible for parole. He also received two five-year sentences for an additional burglary charge and two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card. All sentences will run concurrently.
Williams pleaded guilty to the charges on April 14.
Williams has eight additional detainers for crimes committed in other jurisdictions.
The charges stem from a December 16, 2021, incident in Brick Township when police responded to a report of suspicious activity in the LA Fitness parking lot on Chambers Bridge Road. An off-duty officer observed two individuals near a car with its alarm activated. As police attempted to stop the suspects’ van, Williams fled eastbound on Route 70 before crashing into another vehicle at Burnt Tavern Road and Maple Avenue.
After the crash, Williams tried to carjack a nearby driver by forcibly opening the door and attempting to pull the driver from her vehicle. When unsuccessful, he entered a responding police cruiser but was quickly apprehended. Officers determined that Williams had committed two vehicle burglaries earlier that day in the LA Fitness parking lot.
Previous incidents connected to the case
An earlier investigation by Brick Township Police linked Williams to an October 25, 2021, vehicle burglary at the same LA Fitness location. Williams was charged for that offense on November 19, 2021, while already being held at the Ocean County Jail.
In a separate investigation, Stafford Township Police identified Williams as the suspect in two credit card fraud incidents at the Best Buy Store on Stafford Park Boulevard. The fraudulent transactions occurred on December 10 and December 14, 2021, and led to additional charges served on December 19, 2021.
