Howell Township, NJ – A Jackson Township man who led Howell Township police on a motorcycle pursuit before crashing into a patrol vehicle and attempting to flee on foot has been sentenced to one day in the Ocean County Jail, according to county inmate records.
Ocean County corrections records show Joseph Robert Sica, 41, was committed to the Ocean County Jail on Wednesday and is scheduled for release Thursday after serving a one-day sentence. The records list four matters, including two counts of eluding law enforcement, defrauding the administration of a drug test as a condition of supervision, and unlawful taking of a means of conveyance.
Motorcycle pursuit ended with patrol car crash
The case stems from an incident on March 7, 2020, when Howell Police Lt. Mark Markulic and Patrolman T.J. Hurley observed a motorcyclist driving recklessly on Route 9 near Aldrich Road West.
According to Howell police, officers initiated a traffic stop and the rider initially pulled over before accelerating southbound at a high rate of speed. As traffic slowed near the Lanes Mill Road jughandle, investigators said the motorcyclist attempted to exit Route 9 but struck the side of Patrolman Hurley’s police cruiser.
Police said the rider then fled on foot but was quickly apprehended and arrested. Authorities identified him as Joseph Sica, then 35 years old and a resident of Jackson Township.
Charges followed arrest
Investigators charged Sica with eluding and criminal mischief following the incident. Police also determined he was operating the motorcycle while his driver’s license was suspended and issued multiple motor vehicle summonses.
After being processed, Sica was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries sustained in the crash before being released pending court proceedings.
At the time of the incident, Howell police advised motorists of a partial southbound lane closure on Route 9 at Lanes Mill Road while officers investigated the crash, noting that traffic delays remained minimal.
What happens next
Ocean County inmate records indicate Sica’s projected release date is Thursday following completion of the one-day sentence. Public jail records do not specify which conviction or violation resulted in the sentence, and court records associated with the disposition were not immediately available.
