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Sgt. Greg Carter was on patrol along Ackerman Avenue when he spotted the car with a broken tail light stopped at a traffic light at Rock Road, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said Monday.
A quick computer check returned a hit on a stolen auto, he said.
Seeing Carter, 28-year-old Malvin Tavarez of Passaic pulled a quick U-turn, the chief said.
The officer stopped him, backed up by Officers Bob Surdyka and TJ Graziani.
This comes after an overdosing driver passed out behind the wheel of a speeding SUV that struck and killed a father and son and gas attendant at a Route 23 service station in Wayne last week.
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ALSO SEE: Authorities charged the drugged driver in a morning crash that killed a father and son and a gas station attendant. Jason Vanderee, 29, apparently had overdosed behind the wheel, sending an SUV flying into the station.
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Just last month, Wallington police arrested Tavarez on several counts of breaking into cars.
They sent him to the Bergen County Jail on several charges, only to have a judge release him less than 24 hours later under New Jersey’s 2017 bail reform law.
This time, Tavarez -- who also was wanted on a September 2018 warrant out of Wayne -- remained held in the county lockup pending further court action.
He's charged with motor vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, weapons and drug paraphernalia possession and being under the influence of drugs, Ackermann said.
Tavarez also received summonses for DUI, reckless driving, making an improper U-turn, driving with drugs in the car, failing to maintain light and not having a license, registration or insurance.
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