Asbury Park Man Arrested in Brick Burglary Attempt

An Asbury Park man was arrested in connection with trying to break into a Brick home and fleeing from police on Saturday, police said.

The prepared statement from the police department is as follows:

"On July 20th at approximately 2 am, the Brick Township Police Department responded to an address on Drum Point Road for a report of a burglary.

Officer Joseph Pacitti arrived on scene shortly after and was met by the complainants.

They advised Pacitti that a black male who was unknown to them had knocked on their door and asked for help. The victims told the subject to go away. Shortly thereafter the victims heard noises coming from their front bedroom window which sounded to them as if someone was trying to get in.

The victims also believed they heard the sound of a gun’s slide being racked. The victims then fled the residence out the front door where they met Pacitti. The victims described the subject as a black male wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, and said he had a gun.

A subject matching this description was observed by Pacitti a short time later in the area of the WaWa at Drum Point Road and Poppy Court entering a vehicle.  

Other members of the Brick Township Police Department began to arrive on scene at this time. The subject fled from the vehicle, and was chased on foot and by vehicle by several officers. 

Officers caught the subject to the rear of the Osbornville Baptist Church and placed him into custody without further incident.

Officers then checked the vehicle that the subject had went into at the WaWa. Officers located a .380 caliber handgun in the vehicle. The handgun was seized and placed into evidence.

At Brick Police Headquarters the subject arrested was identified as Derrick D. Lewis. Lewis is a black male, 23, who resides on Ridge Ave in Asbury Park. 

Lewis was charged with burglary armed with a weapon, illegal possession of a handgun, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, certain persons not to have weapons, and preventing an arrest by flight.  

Bail was set for Lewis by the Honorable Wendell E. Daniels at $300,000.00 full cash bail. Lewis could not post bail and was transported to the Ocean County Jail by police.

This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to please contact Det. Michael Bevacqua at the Brick Township Police Detective Bureau at (732)-262-4612. They may also contact the Detective Bureau main number at (732)-262-1120."