Carjacker Rams Police Cars — Then Tries to Escape

What began with a stolen vehicle investigation quickly developed into a dangerous pursuit across multiple communities in New Jersey. Officers were searching for a white work van that had reportedly been taken during an armed carjacking in Irvington.

The situation became even more serious when police located the vehicle again after the initial pursuit had been discontinued. From that point forward, several police departments became involved as officers attempted to stop the van and bring the driver into custody.

 

 

 

POLICE SEARCH FOR THE STOLEN VAN

According to police, the vehicle involved was a WHITE WORK VAN REPORTEDLY TAKEN AT GUNPOINT IN IRVINGTON.

Irvington officers initially pursued the van on the Garden State Parkway. However, that pursuit was eventually discontinued on the Parkway.

For a short time, the situation appeared to have moved away from an active chase. But officers later received another break when the same van was spotted in the Florence Drive neighborhood of Clark.

The vehicle had reportedly crashed through a fence at a Garden State Parkway maintenance yard before continuing through the area.

THE DRIVER ENCOUNTERS MORE POLICE

The van eventually traveled into Cranford, where local patrol officers encountered it.

Instead of stopping, the driver continued attempting to get away. CRANFORD OFFICERS MOVED TO INTERCEPT THE VEHICLE, turning the situation back into an active pursuit.

At this point, the incident had already crossed multiple jurisdictions. Officers were no longer dealing with a simple stolen-vehicle investigation — they were trying to stop a vehicle whose driver was actively attempting to escape.

 

 

 

THE VAN RAMS MULTIPLE POLICE CARS

The situation then reached its most dangerous point.

According to police, the driver STRUCK SEVERAL CRANFORD PATROL CARS while attempting to get away. Police also said the driver attempted to run down an officer.

That changed the nature of the encounter immediately. Officers were no longer simply trying to stop a fleeing vehicle — they were dealing with a situation in which police vehicles and an officer were placed directly in danger.

The decision to continue driving only made the pursuit more difficult to control.

THE PURSUIT CONTINUES THROUGH CLARK

After the confrontation in Cranford, a Cranford police officer continued pursuing the vehicle back toward Clark.

Officers from both Cranford and Clark became involved as the pursuit continued toward the TREMLEY POINT AREA OF LINDEN.

The chase had now moved across several Union County communities, with police attempting to prevent the vehicle from escaping again.

MULTIPLE POLICE DEPARTMENTS WERE NOW WORKING TOGETHER TO END THE PURSUIT.

 

 

 

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THE ESCAPE FINALLY COMES TO AN END

The pursuit eventually reached its final moments in Linden.

The fleeing van struck a GUARDRAIL, bringing the vehicle to a stop. With the vehicle no longer able to continue, officers moved in and took the driver into custody.

Unlike the dangerous moments earlier in the pursuit, police reported that the arrest itself was completed without further incident.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURSUIT

The suspect was identified by RLS Media as 23-year-old Alsemaj Covington of Irvington. Police charged him with second-degree eluding and aggravated assault on police, and he was remanded to the Union County Jail. These are reported charges, not a finding of guilt.

The case demonstrates how quickly a stolen-vehicle investigation can escalate. After the van was initially pursued, the vehicle was spotted again, confronted by additional officers, and involved in collisions with police vehicles before finally crashing into a guardrail.

CONCLUSION

What began with a reported armed carjacking developed into a MULTI-TOWN POLICE PURSUIT involving officers from several departments.

The most dangerous moment came when the fleeing van struck multiple patrol cars and police said the driver attempted to run down an officer. After continuing through Cranford and Clark, the escape finally ended when the vehicle hit a guardrail in Linden.

THE PURSUIT WAS OVER — BUT ONLY AFTER THE DRIVER HAD TURNED A STOLEN VEHICLE CASE INTO A DANGEROUS CONFRONTATION WITH POLICE.

Full video: Carjacker Chose The Wrong Cops To Hit With His Car - YouTube