Cops: Men Burglarize Car, Attack Man, Crash Car While Being Chased by Wayne PD

Wayne Police arrested two individuals late Sunday who allegedly burglarized a vehicle, attacked a man and ran on foot after crashing a stolen car, authorities said.

An Almadera Drive resident called to report a “burglary to auto” after his “son-in-law discovered ... two black male suspects in his car” that fled in a black Subaru, Wayne Captain Laurence Martin said. The son-in-law told police one of the suspects had a screw driver and the other was holding a large set of keys and when he confronted both suspects, the two men began beating him “about the head and body with closed fits.”

Wayne Police responded to the area around 1:04 a.m. and “encountered two vehicles fleeing, one described as the suspect Subaru, the other a blue Toyota with Pennsylvania registration” and attempted to stop the vehicles.

But when the Toyota slid into the snowbank at Langdale and Garside and the Subaru crashed into the Toyota, both vehicles fled again toward Laauwe Avenue, Captain Martin said. The Toyota fled the area towards Ratzer Road and the Subaru crashed again into a utility pole at Garside and Laauwe.

The Subaru driver, Michael Mitchell, 21, of Paterson and passenger Christopher Gass, 19, of Paterson, left the vehicle and ran into the neighborhood towards the Wayne Boys and Girls Club and officers began a foot pursuit by following the suspects’ footprints in the snow.

The suspects were located in the wooded area behind the Wayne Boys and Girls Club and were arrested.

Mitchell was charged with strong arm robbery, burglary with a weapon using force and eluding, receiving stolen property, an open warrant for $2000 issued By Union City, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose.

Gass was charged with strong arm robbery, burglary to a motor vehicle and resisting arrest.

The black Subaru was reported stolen out of Elmwood Park, according to Captain Martin. Police are also still trying to identify the Toyota’s occupants.

Mitchell and Gass were lodged in the Passaic County Jail on $100,000 bail and more charges are pending the investigation by Detective Jorge Barreto.

Photo 1: Michael Mitchell

Photo 2: Christopher Gass