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The driver was captured after hitting two police vehicles while going the wrong way down a one-way street and then mistakenly turning into a dead end Thursday night, Passaic Mayor Hector Carlos Lora said.
Carlos A. Tejada, 29, was headed down Jefferson Street from Main Avenue when his vehicle struck a police unit occupied by an officer coming from the opposite direction near Hope Avenue around 8 p.m. April 27, Lora said.
Tejada hit another police car and two civilian vehicles as he fled, the mayor said.
However, he headed down dead-ended Hudson Street downtown and literally had nowhere to turn, Lora said.
Officers quickly nabbed him, the mayor said.
The officer in the struck vehicle and another who injured his hand during the capture both checked out fine medically, as did Tejada, Lora said.
Tejada remained held Friday in the Bergen County Jail, charged with assault by auto and weapons possession.
His motives still remained unclear, the mayor said.
"Anyone who knowingly leaves the scene of an accident and attempts to evade the authorities may not be in the right state of mind," Lora said.
"I commend the efforts of our police," he added. "I am glad our officers were able to stop this individual from possibly driving anywhere else in or out of our city and possibly cause greater injuries or harm."
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