Clifton PD: Woman Tackled After Walking Into Oncoming Route 46 Traffic With Knife

A woman walking toward oncoming traffic in the middle of Route 46 in Clifton had to be subdued by police after threatening to pull a knife from her purse, authorities said.

No one was injured in the incident, police said.
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Jerry DeMarco

08/22/2018 4:57 p.m.

Police found a steak knife in the purse and had the 46-year-old woman taken to a local hospital to be evaluated after the 11:43 a.m. incident Wednesday. No charges were filed, Sgt. Robert Anderson said.

Officer Michael Zigarelli was on patrol on the westbound highway near Valley Road when he saw several vehicles stopped for the woman, Anderson said.

Zigarelli got out of his cruiser and approached the woman, “telling her to exit the highway and speak with him,” but she “ignored his commands and continued walking eastbound in the westbound lane, toward oncoming traffic,” the sergeant said.

Concerned for her safety, Zigarelli tried to get closer, but the woman “pointed into her purse and warned the officer that she was armed with a knife” and continued walking away, Anderson said.

Officer Thomas Ulikowski showed up a short time later.

As he distracted the woman, Zigarelli brought her to the ground and grabbed the bag, the sergeant said.

No one was injured in the incident, he said.

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