Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that Mary Hardaway, 38, of Newark has been charged with filing a false police report after she falsely reported her vehicle had been carjacked.
On Sept. 30, Hardaway reported her 2002 Nissan Murano had been carjacked in the vicinity of Springfield and South 12th Street in Newark. Her car was later discovered near the location but was involved in a crash. It was later determined by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Carjacking Task Force that she actually crashed the Murano herself.
Hardaway is the third person to be charged with falsely reporting a carjacking since the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office established a Carjacking Task Force to combat a rise in carjackings in Essex County.
“Today Mary Hardaway, 38, a city resident, was arrested for professing to have been car jacked on September 30 but was later found to have been lying. I have to strongly reiterate that the police department does not have the time or resources to entertain false claims of car jacking or any crime for that matter. Anyone found to make such claims will be arrested and charged accordingly” said Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio.
These are accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they plead guilty or are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
