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It began when Hasbrouck Heights Police Officer Nicholas Brunetti stopped a silver Honda Accord near the Felician University campus with three occupants and a strong smell of marijuana coming from inside, Detective Lt. Michael Colaneri Jr. said.
The 17-year-old, wanted for escaping a juvenile facility in Trenton, took off on foot, Colaneri said.
Several agencies responded to search for him while Hasbrouck Heights police arrested the other two – identified as Juan C. Gonzalez, 20, and Engel Paulino-Gomez, 18, also both of Passaic – on drug charges.
South Hackensack Detective Brian Kropp and Officer Sean Bannon found the teen soon after hiding behind some plywood in a storage shed in an industrial area off Saddle River Avenue.
Hasbrouck Heights police released both pending further court action.
The juvenile was held for state Human Services police after being issued a delinquency complaint charging him with eluding, hindering apprehension and marijuana possession.
He also received a summons for not wearing a seatbelt, as did the other passenger.
The driver received several summonses himself and the vehicle was impounded.
Colaneri thanked colleagues from Garfield, Lodi, South Hackensack, Wallington and Wood-Ridge for assisting.
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