Newark – Four city male juveniles were arrested and a carjacked vehicle was recovered last night by Essex County sheriff’s officers and Newark police.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Patrol Division were conducting quality of life operations in the area of South 9th Street and 12th Avenue at 10:20 p.m. on Saturday when they spotted a 2001 Nissan Quest minivan that had been reported carjacked at gunpoint earlier in the evening in Newark.
“The carjacked vehicle was occupied by four suspects who were later identified as juvenile residents of Newark,” Sheriff Fontoura said. “Upon noticing our presence, the 15-year-old driver of the Nissan drove away from the scene at a high rate of speed.”
The sheriff’s officers activated their overhead lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the carjacked vehicle which continued to speed through traffic lights until it crashed into an on-coming Toyota Corolla at South 10th Street and Central Avenue.
“After careening off the Toyota which was occupied by a male driver and a female passenger the carjacked vehicle then struck two other parked cars which caused it to flip over,” Fontoura noted. “The 14-year-old front seat passenger of the carjacked Nissan was able to extricate himself from the vehicle and ran from the scene.”
Newark police and EMS were alerted and immediately responded on the scene.
“The driver of the Nissan and his two remaining passengers, a 15- and a 16-year-old were placed under arrest,” the sheriff added. “The driver and the 16-year-old passenger were transported to University Hospital for treatment of their injuries while the driver and passenger of the Toyota refused medical attention.”
A few minutes later, Newark police located and arrested the 14-year-old male who had fled from the scene. He was also taken to University Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
All four suspects were charged with receiving stolen property. The 14-year-old was additionally charged with resisting arrest.
The 15-year-old driver who was wanted for questioning in four other recent carjackings was found to be the subject of an open warrant for theft and he was also charged with eluding police and issued motor vehicle summonses for being an unlicensed driver, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.
The juvenile driver was lodged at the Essex County Youth Detention Center. The other three juveniles were released to the custody of their parents. All four suspects will have the charges against them heard in Family Court at a later date.