Barnegat Police: Cranbury Woman Struck Officer With Car Before Leading Cops on Brief Chase

A Cranbury woman was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and other charges Sunday night after allegedly striking an officer with her car and leading police on a chase while attempting to flee a drunk driving apprehension.

Police found Christine Favro, 27, passed out in her car at 11:20 p.m., with her vehicle stopped facing west in the eastbound lane of Route 72 near Pinewood Estates, said Lt. Keith Germain, of the Barnegat Township Police Department, in a press release. 

Officers Michael Diblasi, Thomas Behrens and James Purcell gave Favro repeated commands for her to exit the vehicle, but Favro put the car in drive and headed west in the eastbound lane, striking Behrens in the process, Germain said.

The officers pursued Favro to the intersection of Route 72 and Route 532, where she again stopped her car, but continued to refuse repeated orders to turn off the ignition and get out, Germain said. The officers then extracted her from the car and placed her under arrest.

The list of charges against Favro include third-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, third-degree resisting arrest, fourth-degree obstructing the administration of law, DWI, refusal to submit breath samples, reckless driving, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, failure to maintain lane and obstructing passage of motor vehicles.

She was lodged in the Ocean County jail in lieu of $15,000 bail, Germain said.

Behrens was transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center, where he was treated and released for a hand injury, Germain said.