By: Jeff Sommes
In the early hours of July 8, police officer Paul Miller located a stolen 2018 Jeep Wrangler at the Sunoco Gas Station on Route 3 East.
The vehicle had been reported stolen from Jersey City on June 26, 2024.
When officers from the Secaucus Police Department attempted to apprehend the vehicle, the 15-year-old driver from Jersey City rammed two police vehicles, injuring one officer.
The driver and two passengers then fled the scene on foot.
Sergeant Aniello Schaffer apprehended the front seat passenger, a 16-year-old male from Jersey City, nearby.
Officials said Officers Dwight Wise and William Smith pursued the driver onto Route 3 and successfully apprehended him.
The third suspect, who had been in the rear seat, managed to steal a marked police vehicle and led officers on a high-speed chase through Jersey City, Kearny, and Newark.
The vehicle was eventually tracked to Hillside by Hillside Police, but the suspect remains at large.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in managing vehicle thefts and high-speed pursuits.
