By: Tracie Carter
Four armed suspects were taken to a local hospital after a high-speed pursuit ended with their car crashing in Newark's North Ward Sunday night.
A preliminary investigation revealed that police on patrol attempted to stop a car in the South Ward wanted for gas station robberies in the region shortly before 9:10 p.m.
With four suspects inside, the driver of the gray Mazda refused to stop the car and led police on a high-speed pursuit that touched off in just about every ward in the city.
According to reports, the pursuit reached Newark's downtown, where the suspect driver recklessly sped the wrong way on NJ Transit's Light Rail tracks while eluding police.
The chase finally came to a crashing halt in a residential neighborhood near the intersection of Garside Street and 3rd Avenue, with the suspects' vehicle overturning on parked cars and trapping the suspects inside.
Three of the four assailants are reportedly juveniles, with two suffering severe injuries due to the crash.
Two guns were recovered from the car.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office, NPD Office of Professional Standards, and Newark Robbery Squad were notified of the incident and assisted in the active and ongoing investigation.