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Officers Michael Mc Laughlin and Eric Cueva were patrolling near the Willowbrook Mall around 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, when they saw a man later identified as Michael J. Brown walk across all lanes of Route 23 near TGIFriday's, police said in a news release.
The officers stopped Brown and informed him of the traffic violation. A check of his information found he had a warrant out for his arrest. And so, officers attempted to place Brown under arrest, at which point he said he would not go back to jail and fled on foot, police said.
Brown led a brief foot pursuit before he tripped and fell on Route 23, at which point McLaughlin and Cueva grabbed him, authorities said. Brown continued to resist arrest and tried to throw a bag he was carrying into a storm drain, but was not successful.
A concerned citizen intervened and helped officers in gaining control of Brown and get him into handcuffs.
Once in custody, Brown admitted that he was in possession of crack cocaine. A search of the bag that he attempted to throw away revealed 27 small baggies containing suspected crack cocaine, one bag of uncut crack cocaine, one bottle of suspected methamphetamine, one film of Suboxone and $1,250 in cash, police said.
Brown was charged on a warrant with Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance with Intent to Distribute, Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (3 Counts), Tampering with Evidence, Obstruction of Justice, Resisting Arrest by Flight, Interference with Transportation. He was lodged in the Passaic County Jail.
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