The chase led to the arrests of two alleged drug dealers and the seizure of more than 3,000 doses of heroin, authorities said.
BARNEGAT -- A roughly 25-mile car chase on the Garden State Parkway led to the arrests of two alleged drug dealers and the seizure of more than 3,000 doses of heroin, authorities announced on Tuesday.
Justine Garcia, left, and Joe Starks. (Ocean County Jail) The two suspects, 23-year-old Joe Starks of Newark and Justine Garcia, 23, of Barnegat, were identified during a joint investigation between the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office's Special Operations Group and the Barnegat Township Police Department's Narcotics Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said in a statement.
During the investigation, detectives learned the pair was using a Mast Drive residence in Barnegat to distribute heroin, authorities said. They were also using a 2006 silver Chevrolet Malibu to "facilitate their drug distribution activities," a statement from the prosecutor's office said.
Detectives obtained warrants to search both the residence and the Malibu, authorities said. On Friday evening, police attempted to stop the Malibu, which was occupied by both Starks and Garcia, on West Bay Avenue.
But the Malibu sped away from authorities and headed northbound on the Parkway, the prosecutor's office said. Members of the New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit and troopers from State Police Troop E aided in the chase of the Malibu, which eventually pulled over near milepost 94 in Monmouth County.
In all, authorities seized 3,500 individual heroin doses from the Malibu and the Mast Drive residence, the prosecutor said.
Starks and Garcia were both arrested and charged with possession of heroin, possession of heroin with the intent to distribute over one half ounce and distribution of heroin. Starks was also charged with eluding police.
Bail for Starks was set at $400,000 with no 10-percent option. Garcia's bail was set at $200,000 with no 10-percent option.
Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.