Police: Fleeing Carjacker Caught in Passaic River

A carjacking suspect was captured Thursday morning by one of the lesser-known branches of city law enforcement, the Marine Unit, which was called into action after the fleeing suspect jumped into the Passaic River.

Kalei Cheek, 19, of Newark, was driving a vehicle carjacked in Kearny and was being pursued by Kearny police when the car crashed at Johnston and Passaic avenues around 11 am, said  Lt. Charles Fergie of the Kearny Police Department.

Cheek and a passenger, 18-year-old Noel Johnson of Kearny, then fled the vehicle and headed towards the Passaic River near the Clay Street Bridge, Fergie said. Johnson was soon captured on the bank along the Kearny side of the river, Fergie also said.

Cheek, however, entered the river, sparking an aquatic search by Kearny police as well as the NPD Marine Unit. New Jersey State Police, Harrison police and the Newark Fire Department were also seen staging on the Bridge Street bridge downriver from Clay Street as well as at the parking lot of the nearby Rodizio 21 restaurant on the Newark side of the waterway. 

Cheek managed to swim to the Bridge Street bridge before being pulled from the water by Newark police, an NPD spokesman said. Shortly after 11 am a handcuffed Cheek was seen being led from the river to a Kearny police cruiser parked in the restaurant lot.

By attempting to brave the swiftly moving Passaic, Cheek could easily have suffered a fate far worse than arrest, Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio said in a statement.

"Oftentimes when we are faced with the challenge of removing people from the Passaic River it turns into a recovery mission because of the strong current and water temperature,” DeMaio said. “I am thrilled that in this case, due to the skillful and determined actions of our Marine Unit, we were able safely apprehend the suspect."  

Cheek has been charged with carjacking, eluding police and resisting arrest, Fergie said. Johnson has been charged with receiving stolen property and resisting arrest.