A man from New Jersey was charged with terrorism after purposefully ramming his car into a police station while blaring Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle,” declared the district attorney’s office.
“We never could have expected what transpired that night. I am proud of the officers on how quickly they processed their emotions in such a critical incident,” Independence Township Police Lt. Christopher Prell told Fox News Digital.
According to the DA’s office, on September 20, suspect John Hargreaves rammed his gold Toyota SUV into the garage door of a residence in Liberty Township, New Jersey, in an attempt to “scare or harass the homeowner,” whom the suspect knew.
According to the DA’s office, Hargreaves left the residence and drove his vehicle to the Independence Township Police Department, which is the nearest police station to the house he damaged.
“The entire vehicle came to a final resting place in the squad room. The defendant exited the vehicle and appeared to be celebrating as officers apprehended him on the scene as his car stereo blared the song ‘Welcome to the Jungle,'” Warren County Prosecutor James Pfeiffer said in a statement.
At around 7:36 p.m., the automobile crashes through the building’s outside wall and careens into a desk, according to security footage uploaded by the police department.
The guy is seen hastily exiting the vehicle after the incident and raises his hands as two officers enter the room. The officers appear stunned by the incident, but they swiftly seized Hargreaves for a pat-down and arrested him.
“Welcome to the Jungle,” a 1987Â hit song by Guns N’ Roses, is not clearly heard in the audio of the crash, but authorities said the song “blared” from the car’s stereo.
“The front entrance sustained heavy damage and will be closed until further notice. We ask that you call for any routine business that you may have with our office,” the police department said on Facebook a day after the incident.
“We were very lucky that the incident turned out the way it did. The main patrol table is a gathering point in our small office and usually has at least one officer seated around it,” Prell told Fox News Digital.
“The officers in our agency take pride in treating people with the utmost professionalism in all of our interactions.”
Prell said the police department is closed for repairs and to update security measures, but that it will “continue to serve our community to the best of our ability.”
Hargreaves was charged with burglary, criminal mischief, weapon possession, and harassment in connection with the crash into the home.
In the station crash, he was charged with one count of terrorism, causing widespread injury or damage, aggravated assault, burglary, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and criminal mischief.
If convicted, Hargreaves may face life in jail. According to the DA’s office, he is being held at the Warren County Jail.
