S.J. man charged in attempt to run down police officer

A South Jersey man was charged with aggravated assault Monday after allegedly attempting to crash his pickup truck into a Willingboro police vehicle.

David Cross II, 41, of Beverly, was driving erratically on Aug. 19 when he was spotted by a Willingboro Township officer at the intersection of Route 130 and Beverly Rancocas Road, police said.

Cross's vehicle "was accelerating so fast that smoke was coming from the tires,"  according to a police statement. The officer immediately gave pursuit. Cross allegedly refused to stop and sped east on Beverly Rancocas Road. Eventually, the pickup careened over a curb on Windover Lane, blowing out two tires. But that wasn't enough to stop the vehicle, according to police

It continued on its eastbound course, pulled onto Crestview Drive, and drove onto a front lawn. On the lawn, the pickup made an abrupt U-turn and attempted to plow into the pursuing police cruiser. The officer swerved to avoid the pickup. The pickup continued on, driving across several more lawns. Police stopped the pickup at the intersection of JFK Way and Levitt Parkway and arrested Cross.

In addition to aggravated assault, Cross was charged with eluding and criminal mischief. He was being held Monday at the Burlington County Jail after failing to post bail of $100,000.