Police have arrested a Jackson Township man who evaded officers in Lakewood Township three times over a five day period in October.

Kevin Valverede-Cruz, 20, of Jackson Township initially caught police radar for speeding in his Jeep Grand Cherokee on October 18 which led to a pursuit that detectives in Lakewood ended on the Garden State Parkway due to concerns for public safety, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer.

Ocean County Prosecutors Office. (Vin Ebenau, Townsquare Media NJ)
Ocean County Prosecutors Office. (Vin Ebenau, Townsquare Media NJ)
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Investigators found the Jeep later that night along the shoulder of Central Avenue and officers were able to confirm the New Jersey registration number from the prior incident.

As Lakewood Police Detectives approached the vehicle though, Valverde-Cruz didn't comply with their commands and instead put the Jeep in reverse striking the LTPD Detective vehicle and then as he turned towards the road, he almost hit the detectives as he fled the scene.

Prosecutor Billhimer said that one of the Lakewood Police Detectives then fired a round of shots at the side of the Jeep.

Photo: Shawn Michaels
Photo: Shawn Michaels
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A few days later, on October 22, Lakewood Police tried pulling over the same Jeep over on Third Street and Clifton Avenue but Valverde-Cruz just went faster racing towards Madison Avenue.

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In the days and weeks that have followed, Lakewood Police Detectives, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit and Ocean County Sheriff's Office CSI Unit were able to identify who the driver was in those incidents leading to the Ocean County Regional SWAT team executing a search warrant at the Jackson home of Valverde-Cruz on January 10, 2023.

Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
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Valverde-Cruz was then arrested, without incident, brought to Lakewood Police headquarters for processing and then to the Ocean County Jail where he awaits a detention hearing on charges of three counts of Aggravated Assault and three counts of Eluding Law Enforcement.

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