After NJ carjacking, Howard Parks tried bank heist, steal 2nd car

⬛ NJ previous convict heads back to prison for Morris County crime spree

⬛ The man carjacked a person before trying to rob a bank in April 2022

⬛ With his criminal past, the man is subject to the No Early Release Act

A 55-year-old man will serve roughly 20 years in prison for a crime spree in Morris County last year.

Howard Parks, formerly of East Orange, pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree robbery in late November, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll said.

On Friday, Parks was sentenced to an aggregate term of 21 years. He must serve just under 18 years before becoming eligible for parole, under the No Early Release Act.

Parks previously was convicted of robbery in a Union County incident.

Flanders in Mount Olive (Google Maps)

Morris County carjacking, attempted bank robbery, car crash within an hour

On April 1, 2022, police from both Mount Olive and South Orange responded to the parking lot of Walmart in Flanders, where a carjacking had happened around noon.

The carjacker, later identified as Parks, had threatened to kill the owner of the vehicle before taking off and trying to rob a nearby Wells Fargo Bank, also in Flanders.

Investigators said Parks pretended to have a gun and passed a note demanding money — but left before receiving any cash.

After leaving the bank, around 12:33 p.m., prosecutors said Parks was involved in a crash near the intersection of Dover-Chester Road and Route 10 in Randolph.

He was taken into custody while trying to steal a second vehicle.

Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com

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