Lakewood, NJ – Lakewood Police Investigating After Driver Hits Vehicle And Flees With Bystander Clinging To Car Hood

Lakewood, NJ – A Lakewood teenager who tried to be a good Samaritan ended up going for the ride of his life today when he found himself clinging to the hood of a car traveling down an Ocean County roadway at more than 40 miles per hour.

According to the Lakewood Police Department, the bizarre incident unfolded this afternoon at approximately 12:50 PM when a driver hit a parked car outside the Piner Elementary School located on East County Line Road near Tuscany Terrace.

A 19 year old bystander tried to prevent the operator of the blue Toyota Camry from leaving the parking lot, but the driver, 23 year old Terick DeBose of Toms River, stopped only momentarily before gunning the accelerator and headed directly for the teen.

Seeing the Camry speeding in his direction, the teen lunged forward in an attempt to avoid being run over and grabbed the hood of the car which headed west on East Countyline Road at over 40 miles per hour, with the 19 year old hanging on for dear life.

After a quarter of a mile, the teen, who sustained a minor injury to his knee, persuaded DeBose to let him off the car. After pulling over to the side of the road to let the victim go, Debose continued down East Countyline towards the heart of Lakewood, where he was spied police officers who were responding to the incident.

Nearing Squankum Road, DeBose found himself slowed by the traffic light and Friday afternoon traffic. Hoping to evade capture, DeBose drove up onto the curb and headed north on Squankum Road until he was ultimately apprehended by police.

In addition to being wanted on several outstanding warrants, DeBose was found to be driving with a suspended license. He was charged with multiple vehicular summonses as well as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of an accident, leaving the scene of an accident with an injury and driving with a suspended license.