NEWARK – Officials say in case that both exemplifies the dangers Newark police face and the restraint used in the face of that danger, an Irvington man was arrested after purposely ramming a manned police cruiser after a spate of reckless driving that endangered the public.
According to police Mr. Shakir Kelly, 26, of Irvington was charged with two counts of aggravated assault on police officers, possession of an unlawful weapon (auto), eluding police and receiving stolen property.
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“Our officers acted professionally and responsibility with this suspect who was menacing our streets in the most reckless way,” Ambrose said. “In the end, we arrested him and ended the threat he posed to the community.”
The incident began after noontime on May 23, when two officers observed a black Infiniti GS in the vicinity of South Orange Avenue and South 10th Street that had been reported stolen out of Matawan in Monmouth County.
After a short pursuit during which the suspect was speeding and driving erratically, the police suspended the chase.
“They followed the policy,” Ambrose said. “We do not put civilian lives in danger by chasing joyriders at high speeds.”
But when the suspect realized the police were not chasing him, he made an abrupt U-turn, and drove at a high rate of speed directly at the police cruiser, playing a game of chicken, before turning off at the last instant.
The car was then observed by the same police unit driving in circles in the intersection of South Orange Avenue and South 10th Street.
He sped away on South Orange Avenue as police approached but with many pedestrians and other vehicles on the busy street, police again suspended the chase.
The police saw the suspect again, while they were out of their vehicle engaging residents in the area.
This time he sped by, almost hitting the parked cruiser while giving the officers the middle finger.
“Clearly, he was baiting our officers,” Ambrose said.
As school let out around 3 p.m., the officers were parked outside to Camden Street Elementary School to help the children egress safely, as part of the Safe School Zones program started by Mayor Ras Baraka in 2014.
While the officers were parked, the suspect drove toward them, going the wrong way on 16th Avenue at a dangerous rate of speed.
He then turned onto Fairmount Avenue and sideswiped the police vehicle on the driver’s side. Neither officer was injured.
“Again our guys used discretion,” Ambrose said. “The area was filled with kids and parents. Our officers wisely refused to engage this suspect on his terms.”
Two hours later, the suspect was seen outside the vehicle by one of the officers involved in the crash who was on his way home after his shift.
The officer called in, and several units quickly responded and surrounded the suspect. After a brief foot chase through several backyards, the suspect surrendered and was arrested without incident.
“This was the kind of good, smart police work we do day-in and day-out,” Ambrose said.
“Our guys did what they had to do to keep the citizens in the path of this suspect safe and unharmed, and in the end, we still got him off the street.”