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Officer Jeffrey Welsh stopped a Nissan sedan with expired temporary license plates and inoperable headlights on West Broadway near Aberdeen Court shortly after 8 p.m. Monday, Capt. George Guzman said.
As Welsh exited his police vehicle, the front-seat passenger -- identified as Shalique Cox, 22, of Paterson -- suddenly got out and began walking away despite orders to stop, Guzman said.
The driver -- Jovan Hill, also 22 -- also got out and tossed what turned out to be a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun that contained four bullets and a spent shell casing, the captain said.
Welsh grabbed Hill, while backup Sgt. Frank Conca and Class II Special Police Officer Angelo DiPaola, Jr. nabbed Cox.
Hill was charged a trio of weapons offenses, including being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and received traffic summonses for being unlicensed, driving an unregistered vehicle and not properly maintaining headlights.
He remained held in the Passaic County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Paterson.
Cox was released on a summons charging him with obstruction.
The gun, ammo and spent round were being sent to the New Jersey State Police lab to determine possible involvement in crimes.
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