Secaucus Police Chase Allegedly Stolen Car Through Town

SECAUCUS, NJ — Two cars stolen out of West New York were involved in a wild car chase by Secaucus police Friday afternoon, in a police chase that started at the construction detail at First Street and Flanagan Way.

At 1:47 p.m. Friday afternoon, Aug. 3, a Secaucus police officer said he watched as an Acura MDX recklessly drove through the cones surrounding construction site at First Street and Flanagan Way and narrowly missed striking two construction workers. The officer told the driver to stop, however the driver disregarded that order and fled at a high rate of speed.

Additional police cars responded to First Street and the fleeing Acura MDX was then observed speeding toward County Avenue. He ignored orders from police to stop and purposefully drove head-on at a marked Secaucus police sergeant, narrowly missing him, police said. Police pursued the Acura down County Avenue, where police say he disregarded several traffic signals and drove into oncoming traffic. Due to the increased risk to public safety, the pursuit was terminated by Secaucus police.

However, the Acura MDX continued to drive recklessly and drove through traffic signals at major
intersections without stopping. At this point, it became known the Acura was reported stolen out of West New
York, police said.

A police officer who was not involved in the original pursuit was driving north on New County Road as
the stolen car was driving south. The operator of the stolen vehicle purposefully drove at the marked police
vehicle, but narrowly missed striking him and fled toward Laurel Hill park, police said.

It was then that the pursuit was reinstated, due to the stolen vehicle purposely attempting to ram the police car, the pursuit was reinstated. There was then a brief police chase through Laurel Hill park, where the stolen vehicle intentionally rammed three police vehicles.

That caused the tires on the Acura to deflate and it went airborne after striking a large rock and caught fire. Secaucus police were then able to surround the car. The driver, a 15-year-old teenage boy, and the passenger, a 17-year-old teenage boy, both of West New York were removed from the vehicle and arrested.

After interviewing witnesses around the construction site on First Street, it became known that another vehicle was connected to this incident, which was located by police on Hudson Avenue. That car, a Ford Focus, was also found to be stolen out of West New York.

Witnesses said that two men got out of the Ford Focus and fled south on Hudson Avenue. A K-
9 from the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office tracked the scent of the two men to the area of Union Beer (46
Meadowlands Parkway), where it is believed they unsuccessfully attempted to steal another vehicle in the
parking lot.

The 15-year-old male driver, was charged with eluding, three counts of aggravated assault, possession of a weapon [the vehicle] for an unlawful purpose, burglary and other charges. He was remanded to the Union
County Youth House.

The 17-year-old passenger was charged with receiving stolen property and conspiracy. That juvenile was released to his parent.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed. Anyone with video of the incident or with any additional information is asked to contact the Secaucus Police Department Detective Division at (201) 330-2052 or detectivedivision@secaucus.net. All calls can be kept confidential.