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Christian Morales Ruiz, 32, is being held on $100,000 bail in the Bergen County Jail on a host of charges — including two counts of aggravated assault on police.
Ruiz, of Pottstown, has an outstanding warrant from 1999 out of Passaic County, and was wanted out of Cumberland County, PA on an unspecified charge, records show.
However, Ridgefield Police Capt. Richard Besser said authorities don’t yet know why Ruiz acted so dangerously.
“We can’t even speculate on what his story is,” Besser told CLIFFVIEW PILOT this morning.
Sgt. Richard Neary was on patrol Saturday night when he spotted a black Nissan Altima stopped on the Hendricks Causeway bridge just before 11:30, Besser said.
Ruiz was outside the car tossing papers into the water, the captain said.
As Neary pulled up behind, Ruiz got back into his car and threw it into reverse, he said.
Instead of hitting the bumper, the rear fender of the Altima hit the cruiser’s grill.
Ruiz sped off, with Neary in pursuit — along Broad Avenue, then onto Lancaster Road.
At that point, “he had an avenue of escape,” Besser said, “But he accelerated and rammed another police car.” (SEE PHOTO ABOVE)
Inside were Sgt. Brian Williamson and Officer Daniel Fugnitti.
The two officers and Officer Hagop Cigercioglu then pulled Ruiz from his car and arrested him, Besser said.
Police had blood taken from Ruiz and sent to the New Jersey State Police laboratory for toxicology testing.
Williamson, Fugnitti and Neary were later treated for minor injuries sustained in the crashes.
PHOTOS: Courtesy RIDGEFIELD PD
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