Crash Involving Police SUV, Five Arrested In Westfield: UPDATE

Westfield NJ

03 February, 2022

5:05 PM

Description

WESTFIELD, NJ — While on the scene of an attempted car theft, a Westfield police SUV was hit by a stolen car on Mountain Ave. Thursday afternoon. Five people were arrested at the scene, according to police. Chief Christopher Battiloro said Westfield Detectives, as well as patrol officers, were on the scene of an attempted vehicle theft on the 400 block of Alden Avenue at around 1:39 p.m. As they were searching the area, the stolen vehicle crashed into their unmarked police SUV while turning on to Mountain Ave. from N. Euclid Ave. Battiloro said the police are still piecing the incident together and more information will be made available on Friday. The stolen car — a white BMW X 5 — was traveling at an extremely high rate of speed, Battiloro said, and the unmarked police car sustained significant front end damage. Following the crash, all of the occupants in the suspect vehicle fled the scene on foot. Detectives and patrol officers caught the five suspects and arrested them. Battiloro said several of them actively resisted arrest. Two officers sustained injuries, according to Battiloro. The Detective driving the unmarked police vehicle and a patrol officer who was hit in the face by a fleeing suspect were both injured. They were both treated by EMS and released. Two men in the stolen vehicle were sent to a nearby hospital with police accompaniment for injuries related to the crash. All five people arrested are still in custody. Battiloro said they appear to include three adult men and two juveniles — one of them a boy who just turned 12 years old. The BMW was reported stolen from Cliffside Park in Bergen County earlier on Thursday. Battiloro said Westfield Police will issue a press release once they have more definitive information, which will include the identifies of the adults and the charges against all those arrested. He said the press release may not be released until Friday. Patch will continue to update this story with the latest information. Have a news tip? Email [email protected]. Get a free morning newsletter with news in Westfield or another town: https://patch.com/subscribe