Car Chase Ends With Police Shootout In The Oranges, More Details Released

ORANGES, NJ — New Jersey authorities have released more information about a car chase that ended with a police shootout in Essex County last month.

Details were initially sparse about the shooting, which took place Nov. 9 in the City of Orange near Exit 11 on I-280.

On Thursday, the New Jersey attorney general’s office released the identity of the driver involved in the chase: Mark Boyd, 45, of East Orange.

Prosecutors said the incident began around 2:10 p.m., when New Jersey State Police (NJSP) troopers attempted to pull over a stolen 2024 Acura TLX near the Meadowlands Sports Complex and American Dream Mall.

The Acura sped away, getting onto the NJ Turnpike southbound and then I-280 westbound. The vehicle eventually exited onto Freeway Drive in Orange, where it struck a black Mercedes Benz, authorities said.

Here’s what happened next, prosecutors said:

“After troopers positioned their police vehicles around the Acura, body-worn camera footage revealed an apparent gunshot was heard coming from the area of the Acura. One trooper then advised others to ‘take cover.’ The vehicle backed into a marked and occupied NJSP vehicle and then accelerated forward. [Six] troopers fired their service weapons, striking the Acura multiple times.”

Boyd emerged from the car and ran – with two troopers chasing after him, prosecutors said.

During the foot chase, Boyd and the troopers exchanged gunfire. Boyd was hit, and police immediately took him into custody. The troopers called for medical personnel and began giving Boyd aid.

Police recovered a gun near Boyd, later finding that he has active arrest warrants for an “unrelated matter,” prosecutors said.

Emergency responders transported Boyd to University Hospital in Newark for treatment. He remains hospitalized as of Wednesday.

A trooper who was in the marked police vehicle struck by the Acura sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the collision, authorities said.

An investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time, prosecutors said.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com