Police: Brooklyn Man Tried to Run Over Paramus Cop

Borough cops arrested a 28-year-old Brooklyn man who they said tried to run over a Paramus police officer outside the Garden State Plaza on Thursday.

Paramus Police Officer Keith Bland was on patrol near Lord and Taylor in the mall when he responded to a report of credit card fraud in that store and encountered the suspect exiting the mall. 

Bland approached the suspect, later identified as Jamaal Freeman, in the parking lot and Freeman immediately pushed past the officer and fled on foot, cops said Friday. 

Freeman got into a silver 2013 Nissan Altima with North Carolina plates and pulled out of the parking spot.

“[Freeman] headed toward the officer in order to hit him with the car,” said Paramus Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg.

Officer Bland dodged the oncoming car and the suspect fled west towards Paramus Road, authorities said.

Paramus police cruisers arrived to assist Bland and pursued Freeman south on Paramus Road then east on Passaic Street, according to cops. 

Freeman made a left turn down Roosevelt Street in Rochelle Park—a dead end—then attempted to drive his vehicle around a home at the end of the street, but instead bailed and began running through backyards and jumping fences.

Officers from Paramus, with Rochelle Park Police now assisting, apprehended Freeman several blocks east from where he abandoned the car, Paramus cops said Friday.

Freeman, who cops say is from Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, fraudulent use of a credit card and eluding police, and transported to Paramus Police Headquarters then Bergen County Jail on $50,000.00 bail.