Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced today that Antonio Santos, 37, was convicted on charges of eluding police and possession of a weapon (his vehicle) after a six-day trial before Judge Frederic R. McDaniel.
According to Park, Santos, a Mountainside man was accused of leading police on a car chase that ended in a crash in 2012.
The jury deliberated for 90 minutes following the trial before returning the guilty verdict. Santos also pleaded guilty to a charge of fourth-degree driving with a suspended license for a second DWI conviction according to Park.
According to authorities, just after midnight on March 3, 2012, police attempted to pull over a Range Rover being driven by Santos in the area of Summit Road and Charles Street in Mountainside.
Authorities said Santos led Mountainside and Springfield police on a 5-mile chase, from Mountainside up Summit Road then into a residential part of Springfield, back down Summit Road onto Route 22, and ultimately just off the highway, where he lost control of the vehicle and crashed.
Santos was arrested at the scene and later found to have been driving on a suspended license.
Following the verdict, Santos's bail was revoked and he was remanded to Union County Jail. He will face a term of up to 10 years in state prison when he is sentenced on May 6 before Judge McDaniel.