Crash Involving Police SUV, Five Arrested In Westfield: Updated

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.

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 people 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.

Westfield Police have identified all five male suspects, as of Friday. This included three adults, one teenager and a 12-year-old boy — all from Newark.

Zhamir Banks, 18, was charged with receiving stolen property, resisting arrest by flight, burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, hindering apprehension and the use of juvenile in theft of automobile.

Police found Banks was wanted by the Essex County Sheriff’s Office. He was sent to the Westfield Police Department and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing in Superior Court.

Nyjahmir Mickens, 20, received the same charges as Banks, as well as aggravated assault upon a law enforcement officer. Jamar Snipes, 18, of Newark, also received the same charges as Banks.

Mickens and Snipes were sent to a nearby hospital for complaints of injuries sustained as a result of the crash. After they were released from the hospital, they were sent to the Westfield Police Department and are awaiting a detention hearing.

Additionally, a 15-year old male and a 12-year old male were charged with receiving stolen property, resisting arrest by flight, burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary.

Both were sent to the Westfield Police Department and released to the custody of a parent or guardian.

Three detectives, all in the unmarked police vehicle, experienced minor injuries from the crash. One patrol officer who was hit in the face by a fleeing suspect was aslo injured. They were all treated by EMS and released.

The BMW was reported stolen from Cliffside Park in Bergen County earlier on Thursday.

While several car theft attempts were made in Westfield by these individuals, no cars were stolen in town, according to police.

The investigation of this incident remains on-going at this time and additional charges may be forthcoming. Anyone with any related information is urged to contact Detective Jason Merritt by telephone at 908-789-6081 or by e-mail at jmerritt@wpdnj.org.

The Westfield Police Department was assisted in searching for these fleeing persons by police officers from Mountainside, Cranford, Fanwood and Union County, as well as K-9 units from the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

Have a news tip? Email remy.samuels@patch.com.

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