Paterson Detectives Seize Passenger, Loaded Gun After Unoccupied Stolen Car Rolls Down Street

An unoccupied stolen car kept rolling after its driver and passenger bailed out on a Paterson street, leaving a gun inside, authorities said.

Jerry DeMarco

04/18/2022 3:47 p.m.

Kadir Wright, 20, of Paterson was captured but the driver got away, Public Safety Director Jerry Speziale said.

Detectives Mustafa Dombayci, Kenneth Kerwin, Suquan Gary, and John Traynor were investigating a shots-fired report from the previous night when they saw the Nissan Maxima speed through an intersection, nearly hitting another vehicle, Speziale said.

The detectives pursued the vehicle onto Franklin Street, where they found it rolling down the block -- empty -- with the doors on both sides open, the director said.

Wright was busted and a 9mm Taurus handgun with a high-capacity magazine loaded with 25 founds was retrieved from the car, which had been reported stolen within the city, he said.

Wright was sent to the Passaic County Jail, where he remained on Monday, April 18 pending a hearing.

The gun, meanwhile, was being submitted to a New Jersey State Police lab for testing to determine whether it may been fired in a crime, Speziale said.

“The unit is laser-focused and has been extremely successful in removing illegal guns from our streets,” the director said. “Amazing work by a talented group.”

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