Man Crashes Into Former Harvest Exchange Building

Police arrested a Jackson woman on drug charges and a New York man crashed his car into the vacant Harvest Exchange building on Lakewood Road in separate incidents Sunday. 

In the first, police were called to the Twin Oaks motel on the Manasquan Circle for a reported physical fight around 2:25 p.m.  Officers found the altercation took place earlier in the day and involved 22-year-old Judith Bates and her boyfriend, Sgt. Erik Ertle said.

Bates allegedly stole money from the boyfriend, Ertle said. Police did not name the boyfriend. Bates, who fled when police arrived, was later located hiding in a backyard of a Philadelphia Avenue home, Ertle said.

Bates was charged with disorderly conduct, obstruction, possession of crack cocaine and possession of Suboxone. Patrolman Adam Cox was the arresting officer, Ertle said.

Police later responded to Route 34 and Lakewood Road for a single-car accident around  4 p.m., Ertle said.

Henry Peters, 61, of New York had lost control of his 2010 Land Rover and crashed into the vacant Harvest Exchange building, which suffered minor structural damage, Ertle said.

Peters and his two 9-year-old grandchildren were uninjured in the crash, Ertle said.

The South Wall Fire Department, Wall Community First Aid Squad, MONOC Paramedics and a representative from the Wall Township Building Department also assisted. Patrolman Jason Lamb is the investigating officer, Ertle said.