Alleged Newark Drug Dealer Crashes Into Essex Sheriff’s Cars: Police

NEWARK, NJ — Essex County sheriff’s officers charged a Newark man with multiple drug and assault charges after he allegedly slammed his car into police vehicles and crashed into two trees in an effort to escape from a plainclothes surveillance operation.

According to the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, acting on “neighborhood complaints of open-air drug trafficking,” officers from the department’s Bureau of Narcotics conducted a plainclothes surveillance operation on Tuesday in the area of 1st Street and 7th Avenue in Newark.

During the operation, detectives observed Reynaldo Jackman, 37, of Newark, sitting behind the wheel of a parked 2000 Lincoln LS. At that time, Deyidet Collazo, 37, of Newark, who was “known to the officers from previous arrests,” approached Jackman, police stated.

After a brief conversation, Jackman allegedly removed an item from a clear plastic sandwich bag and exchanged it with her for cash, police said.

Officers followed Collazo from the scene and found a heroin-filled glassine envelope in her possession, police stated. Police placed Collazo under arrest and secured her in a sheriff’s vehicle.

When officers moved in to further investigate the actions of Jackman, he put his vehicle into reverse and then forward in an attempt to flee the scene, authorities said.

Police said that Jackman then slammed into the officers’ vehicles, ran onto a nearby sidewalk and crashed into two trees. When detectives positioned their vehicles to block further maneuvering by Jackman, he managed to get his car moving again for a short distance until he crashed into another tree.

Authorities said that the 37-year-old then gathered up items from his car and tried to escape on foot until officers tackled him to the ground. Jackman also allegedly punched and kicked the officers before they managed to subdue him, police stated.

After taking Jackman into custody, police found him in possession of 99 heroin-filled glassine envelopes stamped “DEMOLITION” in red ink, 15 paper folds of crack-cocaine, 48 Xanax tablets and $150 in cash.

During the efforts to apprehend Jackman, Collazo ran from the scene but was re-arrested a few hours later at 4th Avenue and 9th Street, police said.

Authorities charged Jackman with 24 criminal counts including the sale, possession and distribution of controlled dangerous substances, three counts of aggravated assault, the unlawful possession of a weapon (auto), eluding and resisting arrest. He was ordered held at the county jail in lieu of $200,000 cash bond only.

Collazo was charged with possession of CDS and escape, and will be arraigned at a later date, authorities stated.