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Police responding to a suspicious vehicle report at the Rio Vista development off Campgaw Road and Route 202 shortly before 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, spotted the 2021 Honda Civic, which had been reported stolen out of New York City the day before.
Detective Sgt. Eric Larsen and Officer Brian Joyce tried to stop the Civic as it pulled onto Campgaw Road, but the driver hit the gas and fled north toward the college, Capt. Guido Bussinelli said.
Several other Mahwah units joined in the pursuit as the driver – identified as Kayden Carter-Cook, 23 -- headed through the school’s south entrance, he said.
Carter-Cook headed back out onto southbound Route 202 (Ramapo Valley Road), where the Civic struck a police vehicle driven by Officer Jason Stepp, the captain said.
The Honda finally came to rest at the intersection of Continental Soldiers Park, where Capt. Scott Cherven and Officer Darren Storms seized Carter-Cook, he said.
Detective Lt. Kevin Hebert joined Stepp, Joyce and Officer John Lange in chasing down the passenger, who was identified as Samoray Sutton, 26.
No serious injuries were reported.
Carter-Cook and Sutton, both of Middletown, “were utilizing the stolen Honda Civic to commit additional thefts – specifically, stealing mail from residential mailboxes,” Businelli said.
They had mail stolen from several victims in Mahwah, Goshen and multiple towns in Vermont in the vehicle, he added.
Both were processed and sent to the Bergen County Jail to await first appearances in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
Charges include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, eluding, theft, ID theft and receiving stolen property.
Involved in the pursuit, capture and subsequent investigation, in addition to Cherven, Hebert, Larsen, Lange, Stepp, Storms and Joyce were Sgt. Richard Albro and Officer Brian Doolittle.
The incident follows the arrests of two stolen vehicle suspects who bailed out following a crash and were captured in a condo development in nearby Ramsey on Wednesday: Police Nab Fleeing Suspects In Ramsey Condo Development
TEXT: (201) 943-2794 / EMAIL: jdemarco@dailyvoice / Gerard (Jerry) DeMarco (FACEBOOK)
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