Wild chase went onto school lawn, as man rammed cop’s car, crashed into several more

Spotswood police say a man led them on a high-speed chase — blowing through stop signs, driving into a school lawn, striking a cop car intentionally and then hitting several other vehicles — when they approached his car two days before Christmas.

According to police, on the afternoon of Dec. 23,  Ptl. Michael Genovese and Ptl. John Berlingieri responded to the area of Beebe Avenue for a report of a suspicious vehicle — a silver Mitsubishi.

There, they saw the Mitsubishi traveling on Appleby Avenue, police said. But when Walter Benson, 51 of New Brunswick saw Berlingieri's patrol car approaching, he turned all of his vehicle lights off, police said.

Benson then sped away, running stop signs on Beebe Avenue, Kane Avenue and Adirondack Avenue, police said. He continued speeding onto on Kane Avenue, driving toward Schoenly Elementary School as Berlingieri attempted to stop him, police said.

When the Mitsubishi reached Schonely School, it cut across the roadway, driving over the curb and onto the front lawn of the school, police said.

The Mitsubishi drove on the lawn around the side and rear of the school, where it crashed into a fence and a bench, police said.

Genovese arrived in his marked patrol unit as a backup officer, and the Mitsubishi accelerated and intentionally rammed into the side his car, police said.

Benson then continued southbound on Kane Avenue while swerving from side to side, still speeding, police said. He struck another vehicle, and parked on the side of Kane Avenue as he continued south, police said.

Benson turned right onto Burlington Avenue and continued westbound, still swerving, still speeding, police said. He drove through a stop sign at the intersection of Burlington Avenue and Adirondack Avenue, then swerved onto the shoulder and struck another parked car, police said.

Benson’s car came to an abrupt stop due to that collision and Berlingeiri’s patrol car slid into the Mitsubishi, police said.

Benson exited his vehicle and fled on foot — and when officers caught him , he resisted arrest, he resisted arrest before being secured in handcuffs, police said.

According to police, they found two pairs of binoculars in the vehicle.

Police didn't say in an announcement of Benson's arrest what about his vehicle had initially seemed suspicious, or whether he's suspected of any crime unrelated to the chase itself — he's facing two counts of aggravated assault, assault on police, eluding, resisting arrest, and criminal mischief, as well as several motor vehicle charges.

After being processed, Benson was transported to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in lieu of $100,000.00 bail.

Genovese was transported by Spotswood EMS to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries sustained when Benson struck his patrol car with his vehicle, police said.