'Sleeping' driver arrested after fleeing on Atlantic City Boardwalk

A Lower Township man was arrested hours after he fled police via a ride down the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

Police were alerted to Anthony Friel on Wednesday morning after someone reported that a driver appeared to be asleep in the lane of travel at Arkansas and Atlantic avenues, Capt.Kevin Fair said.

Officer Bao Pham and Robert Thompson responded to the 10:18 a.m. call to find more people trying to call 911 to alert police, according to the report.

When Pham tried to determine Friel’s condition, the driver woke up and immediately drove off recklessly toward the Boardwalk, Fair said.

He broke through a barricade at Arkansas Avenue and then drove down the wooden way before getting off at Mississippi Avenue.

Resident Matt Creedon alerted BreakingAC to the incident in a Facebook post as the white Chevrolet Impala almost hit him, he said.

He also said police were pursuing the vehicle.

In a release Fair put out Friday, he said that "at the time Friel entered the Boardwalk, officers were not in pursuit of the vehicle."

After exiting the Boardwalk, Friel continued to the Atlantic City Expressway.

A short time later, he returned to the city, Fair said.

Officers saw his vehicle near Huron Avenue, and followed, according to the report.

Friel ultimately stopped and fled on foot, Fair said.

He was apprehended by Officer Ivaylo Penchev and Sgt. Chris Miller and taken into custody.

Friel was found in possession of six individual bags of heroin, Fair said.

Friel, 49, of the Villas, was charged with two counts each of eluding and resisting arrest. He also faces one count each of possession of heroin, criminal mischief, endangering another person and obstruction of justice.

He is in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.