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Video shows man deliberately crashing car into Independence Township police station in New Jersey

Video shows man crash car into Independence Township police station in Warren County, NJ
Video shows man crash car into Independence Township police station in Warren County, NJ 00:26

INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS/AP) -- Newly released video shows a man deliberately crashing his car into a police station in North Jersey. The crash happened last week at the Independence Township Police Department in Warren County.

Prosecutors said the driver had also crashed his car into a home earlier that day.

Fortunately, police said no one was hurt in either crash. However, at least one officer just narrowly escaped being struck when the driver, identified as John Hargreaves, 34 of Belvidere, drove into the Independence Township police headquarters.   

Hargreaves' vehicle came to rest in the department's squad room. As he got out of the vehicle, prosecutors said Hargreaves put his hands in the air and appeared to be celebrating while loudly playing the Guns N' Roses song "Welcome to the Jungle" on his car stereo as officers took him into custody.  

In the video, you can see him get out of the vehicle and two cops cuff him immediately.

That crash happened just minutes after Hargreaves had driven into the garage door of a home in Liberty Township, an act prosecutors said was intended to harass the homeowner, who is known to Hargreaves. He then drove to the Independence police station because it was closest to the home, prosecutors said.

Hargreaves was charged with burglary, criminal mischief and a weapons count in both crashes. He also faces counts of terrorism, aggravated assault and causing widespread injury or damage stemming from the police station crash.

Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive for the crashes. They said Hargreaves remained jailed Friday.

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