A good song can change you. Need proof? Put on the “Macarena” in a serious office setting and see how many people can’t resist the urge to get down. Add the “Cha Cha Slide,” and I guarantee you’ll see at least some button-downs shaking their hips. Mix in some “Cotton Eye Joe”? Boy, you’ve got a dance party and HR complaint waiting to happen!
We don’t know if New Jersey’s own John Hargreaves was captured by the music he was listening to, or if he was simply having an off day. What we do know is that he rammed his car through the front of a police station — all while blasting “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses.
A New Jersey man is facing a terrorism charge after he intentionally crashed his vehicle into a police station while blasting "Welcome To The Jungle" by Guns N' Roses https://t.co/APpZKNS2m3 pic.twitter.com/CXSRnDMDHM
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) October 1, 2023
In a video of the event, Hargreaves can be seen Kool-Aid man-ing through the front of New Jersey’s Independence Township Police Department. Once he comes to a stop, he gets out of his SUV and casts his hands into the air in apparent celebration. If he wasn’t immediately apprehended, I can only assume he planned on following this up with some air guitar and a stage dive onto the Lieutenant's desk.
The clip of the incident unfortunately doesn’t capture the song, but if you want to throw this open in another tab and watch the video again, I won’t stop you.
Alternatively, just watch this version made by someone on Twitter.
here's my artists rendition as they didn't have the audio https://t.co/DDxhdnVKzA pic.twitter.com/qNTd0lWEEI
— Karl Max (@ceremonioushurt) October 2, 2023
What were Hargreaves’ motivations for doing this? Surprisingly, it’s uncertain if it was actually a targeted attack against the police or if the man just really likes hitting buildings with his car. Earlier that day, he allegedly intentionally slammed his SUV into the garage of someone he knew. Maybe his car developed a taste for buildings — as Axl Rose sings in “Welcome to the Jungle,” “If you’ve got a hunger for what you see, you’ll take it eventually.”
men aren't allowed to have hobbies anymore https://t.co/nb0opmcSD3
— Thought Slime (@ThoughtSlime) October 3, 2023
there should be a law that says you're legally allowed to go free if your crime is funny enough https://t.co/BzA2FbOj7Q
— hotdog water (@saltysauerkraut) October 2, 2023
Somehow, both of these incidents didn’t lead to any reported injuries, per ABC. However, that doesn’t mean Hargreaves is getting away with this scot-free. After saying that Hargreaves caused “significant damage” (you don’t say!), Warren County Prosecutor James Pfeiffer revealed that Hargreaves would be booked on a variety of charges.
Amongst those charges are first-degree terrorism, causing widespread injury or damage, burglary, harassment, aggravated assault, criminal mischief and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. If convicted of just first-degree terrorism, Hargreaves would already face 30 years to life in prison.
Appetite for Destruction indeed.
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