A Morris County man is facing multiple charges after police say he stole a dump truck, led officers on a chase and crashed the vehicle, all while seemingly filming himself on TikTok.
The incident began around 3 a.m. on June 5, when a 2011 Isuzu dump truck belonging to Junk Doctors NJ was stolen from a QuickChek parking lot in Denville, according to the truck’s owners.
Dash camera footage recovered from the vehicle appears to show the driver livestreaming or recording the TikTok video while fleeing police.
“Yo TikTok, I got a cop on me, bruh,” the driver is allegedly heard saying in the video.
According to Christopher Rosa, co-owner of JunkDoctors NJ, the vehicle was driven through Morristown before police attempted to stop it.
“He drove it through Morristown, actually, where we’re standing right now,” Rosa said. “He drove it down South Avenue recklessly. That’s when he was picked up by the Morristown Police Department, and a chase ensued. He jumped on [Interstate] 287, then Route 24, and he was just talking to TikTok, telling people, ‘Hey TikTok, look at me.’”
The chase ended when the driver lost control of the truck on Route 24, causing it to overturn on the passenger side. Video from the dashcam shows officers breaking a window to remove the driver from the vehicle.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the driver can be heard saying after the crash.
Denville police identified the driver as 24-year-old Timothy Geary, of Whippany.
According to a release from the department, after the chase, investigators determined the truck had been stolen from a business in Denville. Following a joint investigation, Geary was charged with third-degree burglary and third-degree theft of a motor vehicle.
Geary was processed and lodged in the Morris County Correctional Facility.
The owners of Junk Doctors NJ said the crash caused an estimated $73,000 in losses, a hit for the small business.
“You know, keeping up with customers, it has set us back, yes, to a degree,” Rosa said. “But we’re a very resilient company.”
The company hopes the incident serves as a reminder that theft can have serious consequences for small, local businesses like theirs.
“Research, educate yourself and secure yourself and your property,” Rosa said.
The case remains under investigation.