Morris Prosecutor: Two Essex Men Arrested After Police Pursuit in Morris Plains

Published on December 20, 2017

Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Morris Plains Police Chief Jason Kohn have announced the arrests of two Essex County men, Meshach Whagar, 28, of Newark, and Tione Davis, 35 of East Orange, on charges related to a police pursuit that occurred during the early morning hours on Tuesday, Dec. 19.

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At approximately 1:15 a.m. on Tuesday, police identified a vehicle in the area of Hanover Avenue and Speedwell Avenue in Morris Plains with a registration tag that was not assigned to the vehicle.

When officers attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop, the motorist accelerated and attempted to flee.

Pursuit continued into Morris Township, where the driver ultimately lost control and crashed the vehicle into a telephone pole on Hanover Avenue. Both occupants fled the car on foot.

Whagar, later identified as the driver, was located hiding in a garage in Morris Township shortly after the pursuit began. Davis was apprehended this morning, Dec. 20, at his place of employment.

During a search of the car, law enforcement officers recovered two handguns., one of which contained dum-dum bullets.

Whagar was charged with Eluding police, two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Handgun, Burglary, Resisting Arrest, Hindering Apprehension, and Possession of Dum-Dum Bullets. He was remanded to the Morris County Correctional Facility.

Davis was charged with two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Handgun, and one count each of Resisting Arrest, and Possession of Dum-Dum Bullets. He also was remanded to the Morris County Correctional Facility.

Numerous law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation, including the Morris Plains, Morris Township, Hanover, Morristown, Madison, Florham Park, and Morris County Park Police departments; State Police, the Morris County Sheriff's Office, and the Major Crimes Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Morris County Prosecutor's Office at 973-285-6200 or the Morris Plains Police Department at 973-538-2284.

Inquiries should be directed to Paul Merkler at (973) 285-6215 or at pressinquiry@co.morris.nj.us