Joyride In Stolen Car Leads Wayne Cops On Chase: Police

WAYNE, NJ — A Saturday afternoon joyride took the Wayne Police Department — and several surrounding agencies — on a chase, authorities said. But soon after the driver hit a police car and several civilian vehicles, law enforcement apprehended three suspects while two got away, according to police.

Wayne PD learned of a vehicle theft in Montville just after 1 p.m. Saturday. The ski-mask-wearing suspects' vehicles headed east on Route 46, said Police Chief Jack McNiff. Wayne police then received a call at about 1:30 p.m. saying that males wearing ski masks approached an occupied vehicle at Starbucks in the Willowbrook area but abandoned their attempt and fled.

The person in the occupied vehicle gave police a description and license number of the suspects' getaway vehicle. And that car matched the description of the vehicle in the Montville incident, while a plate check revealed the getaway car had been stolen from Jersey City, police said.

Twenty minutes later, Wayne PD got word from Fairfield police that the suspect vehicle circled back through their town. Fairfield officers chased the vehicle but ended the pursuit around Passaic Avenue and Route 46 East.

Wayne Police Officer Spencer Schoonmaker positioned himself along Route 46 East. Schoonmaker pursued the vehicle, which got caught in traffic in Little Falls, McNiff said.

The suspect driving the car then "intentionally" rammed into Schoonmaker's car and collided with multiple civilian vehicles in the process, authorities said. Schoonmaker apprehended one of them after a brief foot chase, while police from several agencies converged in the area to search for the other suspects.

Authorities found two more but couldn't find the other two suspects, police said. All in all, police apprehended one adult and two minors.

The adult — Ismael F. Gonzalez, 20, of Newark — was charged with the following (one count each unless otherwise noted):

• aggravated assault (second-degree), eight counts
• employing a juvenile for a motor vehicle theft (second-degree), two counts
• eluding (second-degree)
• conspiracy (third-degree), five counts
• possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (third-degree)
• receiving stolen property (third-degree)
• unlawful possession of a weapon (fourth-degree)
• joyriding (fourth-degree)
• resisting by flight (fourth-degree)

The minors were charged with receiving stolen property, joyriding, resisting by flight and conspiracy.

Officials placed Gonzalez in Passaic County Jail. Wayne police sought detention for the minors, but the juvenile screening unit intake officer denied them. They were released to their respective guardians.