Two people died Saturday morning in a head-on collision involving a stolen 2024 Mercedes-Benz SUV that was being pursued by police across New Jersey.
Police first reported the stolen vehicle, valued at approximately $220,000, at around 3:40 a.m. near Longport. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver accelerated and fled the scene at high speed, triggering a pursuit that lasted several hours and crossed multiple jurisdictions.
Around 7:45 a.m., officers spotted the Mercedes again and resumed pursuit. The vehicle was traveling at high speed when police lost visual contact minutes before the collision.
At approximately 8:00 a.m., the SUV entered the opposite lane of traffic and collided head-on with a Hyundai sedan traveling lawfully in its proper lane. The impact was severe enough to force the Hyundai toward a nearby gas station.
Tragically, the two occupants of the Hyundai were pronounced dead at the scene: Robert Baer Jr., 54, and Alice Stidwell, 67, both of Egg Harbor Township. According to a crowdfunding campaign launched by family members, Stidwell was a devoted mother and grandmother. Baer was her longtime partner. They were traveling on a routine errand when they were killed.
All four occupants of the Mercedes survived the crash without serious injury. They attempted to flee on foot but were apprehended by officers at the scene.
One suspect was identified as Nishon Brown, 18. Three others, identified as minors, were not named due to their age. All four face charges including conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, joyriding, and eluding police while endangering lives.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said investigators are still determining which suspect was driving during the collision.
