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For one thing, there was a significant public safety risk, it being the middle of the afternoon of a holiday weekend, they said.
For another: Turns out the guy works in town.
It wasn’t long after the incident on Franklin Turnpike on Friday, Dec. 29 that police said they found and arrested 21-year-old Danny Hamlin of West Milford at his warehouse job.
Lt. Michael Blondin and Officer Brian Doolittle were directing traffic at the scene of a gas leak moments earlier when Hamlin came speeding north on the southbound side of the road, Detective Capt. Guido Bussinelli said.
Blondin motioned for the driver to stop but Hamlin hit the gas instead, the captain said.
Blondin had to dart to avoid the car but still hit the side of it in doing so, Bussinelli said. Doolittle also had to hustle out of the way as the sedan headed for him, as well, he said.
The events unfolded quickly.
Blondin raced after Hamlin in his police car, and both he and Hamlin sped by Sgt. Rosario Zito, who was parked on the side of the road monitoring traffic, Bussinelli said.
Given the circumstances, Blondin quickly thought better of it and pulled back, the captain said.
As it turned out, Officer Liam Kantanas recently had a similar incident with the same driver, he said.
Police had the plate number. They also got cooperation from the folks at the warehouse when they went looking for their suspect.
Hamlin remained in the Bergen County Jail on Saturday while awaiting a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer and resisting arrest by eluding.
He also received five traffic summonses, Bussinelli said.
No mugshot was immediately available.
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