High-Speed Chase Ends In Arrests, Stolen Cards Found

A wild police pursuit tore through the area early Wednesday morning after a driver failed to stop for an officer.

The incident began at 3:17 a.m. when a Middletown Township police officer who was positioned in a parking lot facing East Lincoln Highway, observed a dark Hyundai sedan with no license plate.

According to police, the car was occupied by four people and all had their heads covered.

When the officer attempted a traffic stop, the driver put the vehicle in reverse and performed a U-turn to flee, police said.

The pursuit saw the Hyundai blow through a red light and ignore stop signs as it sped through Middletown Township and Penndel and Langhorne Manor boroughs, police said.

Officers successfully deployed stop sticks, damaging the Hyundai’s tires, but the driver continued to flee at high speeds onto Route 1 northbound, police said.

A second set of stop sticks deployed near Maple Avenue (Route 213) and Route 1 eventually caused the driver to lose control. The car became disabled against the median, police said.

With the car disabled and police closing in, all four occupants jumped out to flee on foot, police said.

The driver – identified as Ronia J. Jackson, 20 – was apprehended in the Shoppes at Flowers Mill, which is just a few yards from the Middletown Township Police Department headquarters, according to court records.

The front-seat passenger, Zyaire Pierre Woodall, 20, was captured after jumping over the Route 1 center median, police said.

An officer reported finding numerous credit and debit cards belonging to other people in his possession, police said.

Court records did not indicate whether the remaining two passengers were apprehended.

Police discovered the Hyundai’s ignition had been “punched,” with a screwdriver still in place.

Jackson was found to be wanted in New Jersey in connection with a previous vehicle theft, per court records.

Jackson was arraigned before District Judge Charles Jonas on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, receiving stolen property, evading arrest, and various traffic offenses. He is being held on 10 percent of $300,000 bail.

Woodall faces charges of receiving stolen property and evading arrest. His bail was set at 10 percent of $10,000.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.