Somerville, N.J. – A Somerset County Jury has found Gerald Chapman, 41, of Highland Park, N.J., guilty of several charges following a weeklong trial. Chapman was convicted of second-degree Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose, second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, two counts of second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and third-degree Hindering Apprehension.
The trial, concluded on Thursday, was led by Assistant Prosecutors Michael McLaughlin and Lorina Murphy with assistance from Litigation Paralegal Amy Vandergoot. Sentencing for Chapman is set for November 15, where he faces up to ten years in New Jersey State Prison.
The charges stem from a road rage incident on May 5, 2023. While driving in heavy traffic on Easton Avenue in Franklin Township, Chapman confronted another driver, John Doe, near the exit ramp for 287 North. According to testimony, Chapman pulled alongside Doe’s vehicle and struck its passenger side mirror, leaving his fingerprints.
