Man Points Gun At New Jersey Driver, Sets Off Car Chase: Police

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey state police arrested a North Carolina resident after he allegedly pointed a handgun at another driver, then led troopers on a car chase through Morris, Somerset and Burlington counties on Friday, authorities said.

Russell T. Brown, 62, of Shallotte, North Carolina, has been charged with possession of a firearm without a permit, possession of a firearm for unlawful purpose, aggravated assault (pointing a firearm), aggravated assault against a trooper, resisting arrest, eluding arrest and obstruction of justice, according to the NJ State Police.

Authorities released the following statement about the incident:

“On Friday, Nov. 12, at approximately 4:18 p.m., Operational Dispatch Unit North advised troopers that they were on the phone with a caller who stated a man driving a white Chrysler Town and Country exited his vehicle and pointed a handgun at him after a road rage incident. The victim stated that the incident occurred on Interstate 287 southbound at milepost 35 in Morris Township, Morris County. Troopers responded to the area and observed the Chrysler traveling southbound on I-287 at milepost 23 and continued to follow the minivan onto Interstate 78 eastbound.”

Here's what happened next, state police said:

“In the area of milepost 32.2, in Bridgewater Township, Somerset County, troopers attempted to conduct a high-risk motor vehicle stop on the Chrysler. With emergency lights activated, troopers stopped the Chrysler and provided verbal commands to the driver to exit the vehicle via the State Police vehicle public address (PA) system. The driver exited his vehicle, but after several minutes of refusing the trooper’s commands, he got back into the minivan and fled the scene.”

Troopers continued to pursue the Chrysler with their emergency lights and sirens activated as it traveled through multiple jurisdictions, including I-78, I-287, County Route 622 and State Highway 18 – where it “intentionally struck” a marked state police vehicle, authorities said.

Here’s how the chase ended, authorities said:

“At 5:52 p.m., troopers successfully stopped the Chrysler on the New Jersey Turnpike southbound at milepost 52 in Mansfield Township, Burlington County. Once stopped, troopers ordered the driver out of the vehicle, but he refused to exit. Troopers then physically removed the driver from the vehicle and arrested him. A female passenger in the vehicle was arrested without incident.”

During a search of the Chrysler, troopers found a 9mm handgun, police said.

The driver and passenger were taken to the state police Somerville Station for processing. Troopers later determined that the female passenger was an “unwilling participant” during the pursuit and was not charged, authorities said.

Brown was later taken to the Somerset County Jail to await a detention hearing.

The case is being prosecuted by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.

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