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It was just before 12:30 a.m. Thursday when city police spotted a Range Rover and late-model Audi -- both of which had been reported stolen -- headed south on North Woodland Avenue, Deputy Police Chief Gregory Halstead said.
Seeing the officer turn around to follow, both drivers hit the gas, leading a chase through several towns to Route I-95. Police broke off the pursuit there out of concerns about public safety, Halstead said.
They were headed back to Englewood when they saw the Audi and chased it again, this time into Hackensack, where the vehicle crashed.
The driver bailed out and tried to run but was quickly caught, the deputy chief said.
Demetrius Ross, 43, of Piscataway, was charged with receiving stolen property, fleeing and eluding.
Ross, who has used a variety of aliases – including Warren Coleman, Shinard Wood and Demetrius Lee -- also received several traffic summonses. He was sent to the Bergen County Jail, where a judge denied his release pending further court action.
Last October, Tenafly police arrested Ross after they said they caught him with burglary tools, records show. He was sent to the county lock-up but a judge freed him hours later.
At 12:20 a.m. on Friday, nearly 24 hours after the previous chase began, Englewood officers spotted another stolen car – a black Chrysler 300 – on westbound Route 4.
The driver stopped at first, but then took off after the officer got out of his car, Halstead said.
With the officer chasing him, the driver hit a guard rail at Queen Ann Road, got out of the car and ran, the deputy chief said.
Hours later, police received another call at an area bus stop -- and found the suspect.
Jorge Mejia, 32, of New York was charged with resisting arrest, hindering, tampering with records and drug paraphernalia possession. He also was given several summonses and sent to the Bergen County Jail.
A judge on Monday ordered Mejia released pending further court action under New Jersey’s 2017 bail reform law.
Halstead, meanwhile, reminded drivers to always lock their vehicles, no matter where they park, and to never leave the key fobs inside.
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