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Officer Josh Rodriguez saw the driver and passenger switch seats as he approached the Honda Odyssey with expired Pennsylvania license plates in the parking lot of the Goodwill NYNJ Store & Donation Center on Broadway around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Elmwood Park Police Chief Michael Foligno said.
Anderson Rojas of Paterson provided his credentials, but he wasn’t the one who’d been driving, Foligno said.
That man, Yendy Mendoza-Rivas, then provided his information with a different spelling, the chief said.
Officer Jorge Vargas joined Rodriguez as Mendoza-Rivas suddenly bailed out and bolted, ignoring orders to stop, Foligno said.
The officers lost sight of him as he ran between apartments at the Parkview Co-Ops, the chief said.
Fair Lawn police and a Bergen County sheriff’s K-9 unit helped establish a perimeter and conduct a sweep, with negative results, he said.
Back at the van, police arrested Rojas on drug charges after finding a bag with two ounces of crack, Foligno said.
They also found a handgun magazine holding 10 rounds and a container with another 20 9mm full-metal-jacket rounds, the chief said.
Rojas was released on a summons, the vehicle was impounded and alerts were issued for Mendoza-Rojas.
ANYONE who sees Yendy Mendoza-Rivas or knows where to find him is asked to call Elmwood Park police at (201) 796-0700 or Paterson police at (973) 321-1111.
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