Driver Caught after Calling N.J. Police to Brag about Eluding Officers During High-Speed Chase
What to know
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A 38-year-old Clifton man led East Rutherford police on a high-speed vehicle pursuit after officers responded to a welfare check triggered by concerning comments he made about a traffic ticket.
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Police said the driver committed multiple traffic violations while fleeing, and the pursuit was ended after officers identified him.
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The man was later arrested on a charge of eluding police and cited for nearly 20 traffic offenses after phoning police to brag about eluding officers.
A Passaic County man who was upset about a traffic ticket led officers on a wild chase, then called the police department to brag about eluding officers, authorities said.
East Rutherford police ticketed the 38-year-old Clifton resident on Jan. 28. He called the police department’s general phone number the next day upset about the ticket, according to Police Capt. Jeff Yannacone.
Yannacone said that due to concerning comments the man made on that call, East Rutherford police officers were dispatched to his location at Paterson Avenue and Oak Street for a welfare check.
The man, who was sitting in his car, spotted the officers and drove off. He passed a stop sign without stopping, improperly passed one vehicle and nearly collided with another, Yannacone said.
“Officers attempted to initiate a motor vehicle stop but (the driver) accelerated at a high rate of speed illegally passing several vehicles putting the motoring public at risk,” Yannacone said.
Police terminated the chase, but they were able to positively identify the driver, according to Yannacone.
“A short time later, (the driver) made several phone calls to the East Rutherford Police Department bragging about being able to elude the officers,” Yannacone said.
The man was arrested near his home in Clifton on Jan. 30.
He was charged with third-degree eluding police and issued nearly 20 traffic tickets for violations including speeding across a sidewalk, failure to yield, reckless driving, failure to possess a driver’s license and failure to possess insurance.
The man was taken to the Bergen County Jail and later released with a court date, records show.
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