Two West New York teens were arrested on Friday after driving through a construction site in Secaucus, ignoring police’s commands to stop, finally getting arrested after crashing into three police vehicles, authorities said.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The 15-year-old male driver, was charged with eluding, three counts of aggravated assault, possession of a weapon (his car) for an Unlawful Purpose, burglary, receiving stolen property, conspiracy to commit receiving stolen property, hindering apprehension and criminal mischief, according to Police Capt. Dennis Miller.
He was remanded to the Union County Youth House after being processed, officials said.
Meanwhile, the 17-year-old passenger was charged with receiving stolen property and conspiracy to commit receiving stolen property. He was released to his parent after being processed, police said.
On Friday, around 1:47 p.m. a Secaucus police officer was working a uniformed traffic detail at a construction site at the intersection of 1st Street and Flanagan Way. Around this time, an Acura MDX recklessly drove through the cones surrounding construction site and narrowly missed striking two construction workers, authorities said.
The officer ordered the driver of the vehicle to stop, however the driver disregarded that order and fled away at a high rate of speed, officials said.
Additional officers responded to the area and during this time, the fleeing Acura MDX was observed fleeing toward County Avenue. After giving the driver a signal to stop the vehicle, he began to flee, police said.
According to authorities, the vehicle purposefully drove head on at a Secaucus police sergeant, narrowly missing him. Since the operator of the vehicle was driving with reckless abandon and endangering the public, a vehicular pursuit was initiated.
During the several block pursuit, the vehicle disregarded several traffic signals and drove into oncoming traffic. Due to the increased risk to public safety, the pursuit was terminated by police at this time, officials said.
However, the Acura MDX continued to drive recklessly and proceeded through traffic signals at major intersections without stopping. At this point, it became known the Acura was reported stolen out of West New York, police said.
A police officer who was not involved in the original pursuit was driving north on New County Road as the stolen car was driving south. The operator of the stolen vehicle purposefully drove at the marked police vehicle, but narrowly missed striking him and fled toward Laurel Hill Park, authorities said.
Due to the stolen vehicle purposely attempting to ram police, the pursuit was reinstated.
During the brief vehicular pursuit within the park, the stolen car intentionally rammed three police vehicles, causing the tires to deflate and the vehicle to go airborne after striking a large rock and catching fire, officials said.
Finally, the driver and passenger were removed from the vehicle and arrested.
After interviewing witnesses around the construction site it became known that another vehicle was connected to this incident, which was located by police on Hudson Avenue. This vehicle, a Ford Focus, was also found to be stolen out of West New York, police said.
Eyewitnesses stated that two males fled the vehicle south on Hudson Avenue. A K-9 from the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office tracked the scent of these individuals to the area of Union Beer, located at 46 Meadowlands Parkway, where it is believed they unsuccessfully attempted to steal another vehicle in the parking lot, authorities said.
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed. Anyone with video of the incident or with any additional information is asked to contact the Secaucus Police Department Detective Division at (201) 330- 2052 or detectivedivision@secaucus.net.
All calls will be kept confidential.
