Morris Prosecutor: Wayne Man Found Guilty in Route 23 High-Speed Police Chase

Published on March 06, 2019

Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Chief of Investigations Stephen F. Wilson, Jr. announce that Derek Schor, 37, of Wayne, has been found guilty in Superior Court of several charges in connection with a 2017 high-speed motor vehicle chase on Route 23 in Morris County.

Schor was convicted of Eluding while Creating a Risk of Death or Injury to Any Person, a crime of the second degree; Resisting Arrest by Flight, a crime of the fourth degree: and one count of Operating a Motor Vehicle During a Period of License Suspension

On Aug. 19, 2017, Pequannock police officers attempted to pull over the defendant on Route 23 North at the intersection of Jackson Avenue in Pequannock after he committed an alleged theft at an Exxon gas station in Wayne.

(JPG, 17KB)Instead of complying with police signals to stop, Schor led multiple officers on a high-speed chase that ultimately culminated with the crash of his vehicle on the entrance ramp for Route 287 in Riverdale.

The defendant then ran from his vehicle as police arrived and eventually was arrested in a nearby ravine area. It was determined that Schor was driving while his license was suspended for a second Driving While Intoxicated conviction.

Schor has been remanded to the Morris County Jail and is expected to be sentenced on April 5.

Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank Assistant Prosecutors Alexis Keller and Catherine LaQuaglia, who represented his office during the trial; the Pequannock Police Department, Riverdale Police Department, Morris County Sheriff's Office, New Jersey State Police, and the Wayne Police Department for their efforts.

Inquiries should be directed to Public Information Officer Peter DiGennaro at pressinquiry@co.morris.nj.us or 973-829-8159.