A 26-year-old New York driver responsible for hitting and injuring two women while attempting to escape in his car in Montvale has been arrested following an incident early on Friday, Aug. 14 at the Garden State Parkway service area.
Walter Schaeffer, of Monsey, N.Y., was observed in a BMW doing doughnuts in the Montvale service area parking lot about 12:50 a.m. and when a borough police officer approached him with lights on, Schaeffer sped away.
In attempting to get away, he drove the wrong way down a one-way section of the parking lot and struck two women, both age 19, causing a severe head injury to one victim, police reported.
Several witnesses interviewed by the New Jersey State Police described Schaeffer, provided a description of his vehicle, and said they witnessed him plow into the two women as he attempted to evade police.
One woman reportedly suffered a concussion, swollen ankle and cuts to the face while the other had a large bruise on her head and scrapes and cuts, according to first responders and witnesses.
Schaeffer was being held in Bergen County Jail Aug. 17, charged with aggravated assault, leaving the scene, assault by auto, endangering an injured victim and resisting arrest.
At least one witness recognized Schaeffer from a prior car meetup event and was able to provide online video that revealed Schaeffer’s license plate number. Others pointed police to an online profile that was used for his identification.
Photo courtesy Bergen County Sheriff