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Adult students were taking lessons in the Stop & Shop parking lot on West Pleasantview Avenue when Isiah T. Pringle, 31, of Albany approached one of the vehicles, Capt. Darrin DeWitt said.
Pringle opened the door and tried to pull out the driver, who was seat-belted in, he said.
Another driving instructor intervened and was punched by Pringle as he shouted at the woman to drive away, the captain said.
“Pringle then grabbed a broomstick that had been placed in a traffic cone used for practice and hit the instructor several times in the head and body,” said DeWitt, the officer in charge of the department.
The instructor fought Pringle off, got into his own car and drove away, DeWitt said. The hero later refused medical treatment, he said.
Lt. Michael Antista found Pringle a few blocks away and took him into custody.
The Bergen County Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Identification collected evidence.
Pringle remained in police custody Monday at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, charged with two counts of first-degree carjacking and weapons possession.
A first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack will be held that will determine whether he will remain jailed or released pending the outcome of the charges.
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