Point pleasant beach chief says cops not involved in ice chase that ended with fleeing illegal struck on route 35

Point Pleasant Beach Chief Says Cops Not Involved in ICE Chase That Ended With Fleeing Illegal Struck on Route 35

Posted by
1 min read
August 1, 2026
Police say officers responded only after a man fleeing federal immigration agents ran into Route 35 and was struck by a vehicle, marking the second high-profile immigration-related incident in the borough in recent weeks.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, N.J. — The Point Pleasant Beach Police Department says it played no role in a federal immigration enforcement operation that ended when a man fleeing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents was struck by a vehicle on Route 35.

According to Police Chief Robert J. Kowalewski, officers were dispatched at approximately 9:05 a.m. Friday to Route 35 North near the west side train station platform for a report of a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian.

Police say ICE operation was already underway

Point pleasant beach chief says cops not involved in ice chase that ended with fleeing illegal struck on route 35
Photo: point pleasant beach chief says cops not involved in ice chase that ended with fleeing illegal struck on route 35

During the investigation, officers determined the pedestrian had been fleeing ICE agents who were attempting to take him into custody.

“Upon further investigation, it was determined that the pedestrian had fled from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who were attempting to apprehend him,” Kowalewski said in a statement. “During the course of fleeing, the suspect entered the roadway and was struck by a motor vehicle.”

Police said the man suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at the scene before being transported by the Point Pleasant First Aid and Emergency Squad to a local hospital for further evaluation.

Kowalewski emphasized that local police had no advance knowledge of the federal operation.

“The Point Pleasant Beach Police Department had no involvement in the ICE operation and was not notified of, nor aware of, any ICE enforcement activity occurring within the borough on this date,” he said. “The Police Department became aware of the situation only after officers were dispatched to investigate the motor vehicle crash.”

Second immigration-related incident draws attention

The incident comes weeks after another immigration-related case in Point Pleasant Beach drew statewide attention.

In July, Canadian national Kaitlyn Tracey was arrested after authorities alleged she assaulted a young girl on the boardwalk who was wearing an America 250 T-shirt. Following her arrest, Tracey was taken into ICE custody and transferred to a federal processing facility in Texas, where immigration proceedings are pending.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office was notified of Friday’s incident. Police said any additional information regarding the immigration enforcement action should be directed to the Department of Homeland Security and ICE.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Facebook

Breaking News

Don't Miss