Police Arrest Mercer County Man, Recover Stolen Gun After Chase: Prosecutor

A Mercer County man was arrested after he attempted to flee police and throw a stolen loaded handgun out of his car on Tuesday, according to Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri. Police attempted to stop 40-year-old Alan Harper, of Trenton, on Pennington Avenue at about 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 12. Harper was the target of a two-month investigation by the Mercer County Narcotics Task Force, Onofri said.

Harper refused to stop his 2006 White Infiniti and instead attempted to flee, according to police. At the same time, an unknown object was thrown from his car, police said. After a brief chase, Harper and his passenger, 23-year-old Parrish Whitmore of Trenton, were arrested without further incident, police said.

The unknown object was also recovered. Police determined it to be a fully loaded Glock 23 handgun that had been reported stolen from Washington Township, Pa. During ensuing warrant-approved searches of Harper’s car and home, police say they recovered six grams of crack cocaine and 45 bricks of heroin, worth a total of $7,350.

Harper is charged with two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, two counts of possession with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, unlawful possession of a weapon, certain persons not to possess a firearm and eluding. The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to have him detained.

Whitmore is charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, unlawful possession of a weapon and certain persons not to possess a firearm.

Officers with the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Hamilton and Trenton police departments, under the command of the prosecutor’s Special Investigations Unit, conducted the investigation and made the arrests.

The attached images of Alan Harper and Parrish Whitmore were provided by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office