Man asleep at traffic light drives onto AC boardwalk, through 2 barricades before arrest

NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — Police have arrested a man they say drove onto the Atlantic City boardwalk while trying to evade officers Wednesday morning.

Authorities say 49-year-old Anthony Friel was asleep in his car at a traffic light around 10 a.m. When officers approached the vehicle to check his status, he drove off through a barricade and onto the boardwalk at Arkansas Avenue.

Police say they were not actively pursuing the car on the boardwalk.

The driver then broke through another barricade at Mississippi Avenue and eventually left the area, taking the Atlantic City Expressway, but later returned.

Police say officers noticed his car and engaged in a pursuit. Friel eventually stopped driving and fled on foot before being arrested. Police say he had six individual bags of heroin.

Friel is being held at the Atlantic County jail and faces numerous charges, including eluding, criminal mischief and resisting arrest.