'Unusual' Handgun Recovered After Near-Deadly Struggle In Branch Brook Park

A routine traffic stop on Monday turned into a near-deadly encounter when an Essex County Sheriff’s officer alleged Bloods street gang member fought back against the arresting officer.

The encounter took place around 6 p.m. in the area of Branch Brook Park, when officer Kevin Macken conducted a random license plate check on a passing black 1996 Acura sedan, finding that the plate actually belonged to a brown Volvo.

After activating his car’s overhead lights and siren, Macken attempted to pull the vehicle over on Lake Street, where the driver crashed into two parked vehicles.

The driver, Victor Morales, 27, of Newark, was unable to provide any personal or vehicular identification, and later tried to flee the scene, police stated.

Taking chase, Macken grabbed Morales and tackled him to the ground.

According to police, Morales continued to resist by flailing his arms and legs, and repeatedly tried to reach into his waistband.

Morales managed to punch Macken in the face and temporarily free himself, but the officer managed to reach out, grab Morales by the shirt and pull him back down to the ground, where he was finally subdued and handcuffed.

Soon afterwards, police removed a Taurus Judge 45/410 caliber handgun from Morales’ waistband.

“This weapon is most unusual,” Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura pointed out. “Basically, it’s a hand-held weapon that shoots shotgun shells. At close range, it is very, very dangerous and very, very deadly.”

After a K-9 olfactory search of the vehicle’s exterior provided a positive indication for additional drugs, police searched the Acura’s interior passenger compartment, finding a black ski mask, five cell phones and a small bag of marijuana.

Police charged Morales with the unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest. He was also issued summonses for driving while suspended, the use of fictitious plates, driving without insurance and careless driving.

He is being held at the county jail in lieu of a $100,000 cash bond only.

File photo of a Taurus Judge handgun via Wikipedia