Police Chase Starts In NY, Ends In Paramus: Reports

PARAMUS, NJ – A 31-year-old Philadelphia man accused of having stolen goods from Walmart in a van faces multiple charges after leading police on a chase that began in the Catskills and ended with a crash in Paramus, according to reports.

Around 9 p.m. on Thursday, New York State Police received a call about a theft at Walmart by two men who fled in a U-Haul van on Route 9W and then south onto the New York State Thruway,the Daily Freeman reported.

Troopers stopped the van on the Thruway by Saugerties, at which point one of the men, a 51-year-old from Brooklyn, got out of the van and was taken into custody, the newspaper said.

That’s when the driver, Mark Simpson, sped off, with “multiple police units” in pursuit. Around 10:40 p.m., Paramus officers received an alert about the chase and soon spotted Simpson’s van, NJ.com reported.

They tried to pull over the van, but Simpson reportedly rammed five police cars before finally stopping.

When he did pull over, he jumped out and attempted to flee, but was caught by police, NJ.com reported.

No officers were injured.

He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, eluding, resisting arrest and possession of stolen property valued at more than $500, NJ.com said.

Catskill police charged him with misdemeanor petit larceny, the Daily Freeman reported.