Staten Island Man Flees Police At Woodbridge Center Mall, Police Say

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — A Staten Island man was pulled over at the Woodbridge Center mall Wednesday afternoon, and then ran from police and became combative with the officers, Woodbridge police said. That caused the large police presence you might have noticed at the mall yesterday, with about a dozen Woodbridge squad cars present.

The incident happened in the parking lot in front of Dick's Sporting Goods, an eyewitness told Patch. A police officer attempted to pull a car over on Rt. 9 after he observed it make several motor vehicle violations, the officer said. The officer directed the car to pull at the Woodbridge Center mall. However, once they got into the mall parking lot, the driver got out of his car and ran off, according to Woodbridge police public information officer Capt. Roy Hoppock.

The man was later located, but when he was approached by other officers he became aggressive and began to fight them, Hoppock said.

Pietro Catania, 19, from Staten Island, N.Y. was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, obstruction, resisting arrest and numerous moving violations, including driving with a suspended license.

All photos were taken by Paul Karmazin.