Highlands Man Tasered and Arrested After Eluding Cops for 12 hours After Routine Traffic Stop

Jeffrey Olander. photo via facebook

Jeffrey Olander, 51 of Highlands, fled from two traffic stops on Thrusday afternoon, eluded the Atlantic Highlands, Highlands and Middletown Police Departments for 12 hours and threatened to shoot Highlands Police Officers before he was tasered and arrested in the hallway outside his apartment on the fourteenth floor of the East Pointe Condominiums shortly before 4 a.m. Friday morning, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramicconi.

Members of the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team (MOCERT) and the Highlands Police Department made the arrest.

This was the first time a Monmouth County law enforcement officer has deployed a Conductive Energy Device (commonly called taser) to subdue a suspect since the tool was first authorized for use in New Jersey.

“The use of Conductive Energy Devices is a valuable tool for law enforcement and can be a lifesaver. Without our ability to use CEDs, this may have ended in a very tragic way because this man was armed, acting erratically and potentially dangerous,” Gramiccioni said.

An Atlantic Highlands Police Officer first made contact with Olander around 3:35 p.m. on Thursday, after observing a motor vehicle violation and attempted to conduct a routine traffic stop of the 2011 Dodge Charger being operated by Olander. During the attempted stop, Olander “brake checked” the Atlantic Highlands police vehicle, causing a minor motor vehicle collision resulting in minor rear end damage to Olander’s vehicle. After speaking with the officer for a short period of time, Olander fled the scene in his vehicle. The officer pursued the vehicle into Middletown and township police joined in the pursuit.

A second motor vehicle stop was attempted on Olander’s vehicle around 3:53 p.m. in Highlands Borough, but Olander again fled in his vehicle after stopping only long enough for the officer to exit his patrol vehicle.

Highlands Police located Olander after he returned to his residence around 11:34 p.m. last night, and attempted to take him into custody. Olander refused to surrender and threatened to shoot police officers. Highlands Police were aware Olander owned several firearms, so they requested assistance from MOCERT and evacuated people from neighboring apartments on the same floor out of an abundance of caution.

Members of MOCERT made their first contact with Olander around 3:39 a.m. this morning. During that initial contact, Olander refused to surrender and began taunting the officers before retreating back into his apartment. Less than 15 minutes later, a second and unsuccessful attempt was made to arrest Olander with the use of a K-9 officer. At 3:57 a.m. Olander once again emerged from his apartment and it was at that time that a CED was used to subdue him, allowing officers to take him into custody.

Olander is charged with third degree Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer, second degree Aggravated Assault while Eluding, and second degree Eluding. Additional charges could be filed following the investigation.

If convicted of Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer, Olander faces a sentence of three to five years in prison.

If convicted of Aggravated Assault while Eluding, Olander faces a sentence of five to ten years in prison.

If convicted of Eluding, Olander faces a sentence of five to ten years in prison.

Orlander is currently in the custody of the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold. Bail has yet to be set pending possible additional charges being filed.