Manchester Man's Traffic Offense Leads to Arrest of Sex Offender

Lakehurst Police shut down Route 70 near Rose Street on June 10 due to heavy flooding from the day's rainfall.

Lakehurst Borough Police Chief Eric Higgins was assisting officers with traffic and noticed the driver of a blue 2001 Jeep attempt to go around the blocked off area proceed through the floodwaters.

The Chief stopped the vehicle and the driver, Joseph D. Cook of Manchester, was charged with Disobeying Emergency Traffic Controls.  Cook was also charged with Driving While Suspended.

The front seat passenger of the vehicle, David McBride, advised Chief Higgins that he had a valid driver's license and supplied the chief with a false name and date of birth.  When the information he supplied to the chief did not come up in the motor vehicle data base, the chief questioned McBride further at which time he (McBride) admitted he supplied false information.

When McBride's true identity was learned, it revealed a warrant out of the Seaside Heights Municipal Court. Further, the Chief learned that McBride was a registered sex offender and currently had been staying at a motel in Lakehurst, which the Chief confirmed with the motel manager.

McBride, 49, of Lakewood, was then placed under arrest by Chief Higgins and charged with Failure to Register/Sex Offender and Hindering Apprehension. He was remanded to the Ocean County Jail in lieu of $5,000.00 bail no 10%.

— News release from Lakehurst Police Department