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Joseph Ford, a resident of the United Kingdom, was speeding in the southbound lanes when he rammed the rear of an Allendale patrol car that had stopped to assist a Saddle River officer on a motor vehicle stop at approximately 10:40 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, near East Allendale Road, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
The impact caused "a four-car chain-reaction crash involving the vehicle stopped by the Saddle River Police Officer, both patrol cars, and the Range Rover," Musella said.
Ford tried to flee on foot but was arrested by officers from surrounding agencies that responded to the crash, the prosecutor said.
The crash left Allendale Officer Mark Dunn Jr. seriously injured, Musella said. Saddle River Officer John Latka, one of the occupants of Ford's vehicle, and an occupant of the vehicle that was originally stopped were also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, the prosecutor said.
Ford was charged with assault by auto, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury, assault by auto, and driving while intoxicated, and was issued multiple other motor vehicle offenses.
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