For Samantha Amaya, the shocking series of events began Sunday morning, when two cars were reported stolen from a home in Clifton, New Jersey. One car belonged to Amaya, and the other belonged to her boyfriend Daniel Aristizabal.
Police spotted Amaya's missing 2023 silver Honda Civic in Elmwood Park on Tuesday just before 5 a.m., and gave chase. Police in Paramus were called to aid in stopping the stolen car.
The Paramus Police encountered the Honda on Route 17 and deployed spike strips.
Despite losing a wheel, the driver continued speeding and eventually made it to the southbound lanes of the Garden State Parkway before losing control and flipping off the parkway just south of Exit 159.
Officials say the driver intentionally rammed into the side of a police cruiser before careening into the guardrail and turning over into a wooded area of the parkway in Paramus.
Three occupants, a 15-year-old from Newark, a 15-year-old from Paterson and a 16-year-old from Orange, were taken into custody and being treated.
The 15-year-old driver is charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, assault on a police officer and eluding while both passengers are charged with joyriding. A fourth person remains on the run.
While a police cruiser was wrecked, no officers were injured.
However, Amaya's brand new car was totaled.
"Tears came to my eyes because I wasn't expecting that at all," she said.
Aristizabal's stolen car wasn't in much better shape either. His Hyundai Sonata was left damaged and abandoned in Paterson, early Monday morning. His car was so beat up, it looked like the suspects danced on top of his car. Footprints could be seen on the hood, glass was on the seats and the inside was gutted.
"Both of our cars smelled of marijuana. To me that's parent negligence. We're definitely looking to press charges," Aristizabal said.
Amaya and Aristizabal are now stuck paying for the teenagers' reckless joyride. They have to rent cars to get around and they fear their insurance will skyrocket.
"It's a shame to see what generation we're living in. It's horrible," Amaya said.
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