Brooklyn man sentenced for high-speed chase in stolen NYC taxi across New Jersey
Prosecutors say the pursuit spanned multiple jurisdictions and ended after the driver struck several police vehicles and a civilian's car.
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A Brooklyn man has been sentenced to five years in New Jersey State Prison for leading police on an interstate chase in a stolen New York City taxi that injured several people and damaged multiple police vehicles.
Ashton B. Charles, 31, was sentenced June 29 in Superior Court and must serve 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. He pleaded guilty May 8 to five counts of causing injury while eluding or operating a stolen motor vehicle.
The charges stem from a June 1, 2025, incident in which prosecutors said Charles stole a Toyota Sienna operating as a New York City yellow cab in Manhattan before driving through New York City and into New Jersey. Police located the vehicle in Springfield Township, where Charles allegedly struck an officer with the taxi's passenger-side mirror before fleeing.
According to prosecutors, Charles then led New Jersey State Police on a chase through Union, Morris, Hunterdon and Somerset counties, reaching speeds of about 100 mph, weaving through traffic, running red lights, driving on medians and striking multiple state police vehicles, a Somerville police vehicle and a civilian's vehicle. Troopers arrested Charles after the chase ended in Somerville when the taxi crashed and he attempted to flee into a wooded area.
Prosecutors said the involved state troopers, a Somerville police officer and a civilian suffered relatively minor injuries. The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies in New Jersey and New York.
