Crime & Safety

Police Say Lawrence Woman Lied About Car Theft

False report was made after the 25-year-old allegedly fled an accident that happened while she was driving the car, police said.

A Lawrence Township woman last week allegedly fled an accident scene in Hamilton Township “out of panic and fear” and later made up a story claiming that her car had been stolen from Bordentown City, authorities said.

Jessica Funari, 25, was charged by Bordentown City police with falsifying a police report for lying about the car theft and by Hamilton Township police with multiple charges related to the Jan. 2 accident at the White Horse Traffic Circle, according to a news release issued this week by Bordentown City police.

According to that news release, the car Funari was driving was involved in a collision with another vehicle at the circle in Hamilton and “out of panic and fear she continued towards Bordentown, ditching her car off the roadway and walking to a friend’s home.”

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She then, according to the news release, called Bordentown City police and claimed that her car had been stolen from the parking lot of a local business and that she had received a call informing her that her vehicle had been involved in a crash in Hamilton.

Funari was charged after an investigation by Bordentown City and Hamilton police revealed the car had not been stolen and that she had, in fact, been driving it during the accident, according to the news release.   

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