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Garfield police spotted the orange 2020 BMW M4 shortly before noon Wednesday, March 27, after colleagues from Newark who were tracking the vehicle via GPS pointed them to Prospect Street after one of their vehicles was hit, Capt. Mario Pozo said.
Garfield Police Officer Noah Murphy tried stopping the sedan moments later, the captain said, but the driver threw it in reverse, hit the gas and accidentally slammed into the tree, the captain said.
The pole caught fire as the driver, identified as Baguilma Karl Dalison Daliwa, 19, of Newark, and his two companions ran from the scene, he said.
Officers Daniel Pozo and Charles Galbo joined in the pursuit of Daliwa, who hopped backyard fences in an attempt to get away, the captain said.
Saddle Brook police and a Bergen County Sheriff's K9 unit joined them, as well, he said.
It was several area residents who pointed the officers to a home where Dawila had been hiding in the front entrance.
They arrested him without incident.
Back at the car, two passengers -- one 14, the other 15 -- also ran. Officer Stojan Arangelov caught one of them in a resident's rear yard as the other fled, Pozo said.
As luck would have it, police spotted the second juvenile walking on Semel Avenue on Thursday. They took him into custody without incident.
Daliwa was charged with two counts of employing juveniles in crime, child endangerment, receiving stolen property and resisting arrest.
He remained held Thursday in the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court.
One of the juveniles was lodged in the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center. The other was released to a parent.
Garfield firefighters tended to the blaze at the fallen pole.
Police Chief Richard Uram thanked Lodi and Saddle Brook police and the sheriff's officers for their assistance.
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