Police charged Jamir Brown, left, and Alix Eugene. (Red Bank police photos. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Two Tinton Falls men were arrested on weapons, drug and other charges by Red Bank police after a motor vehicle pursuit that ended with crashes and foot chase late Monday night, police said Tuesday.
According to a statement by Captain Mike Frazee, the incident began at 11:19 p.m., when Patrolman Luke Cahill saw two men in a a gray 2023 Hyundai Elantra stopped at the intersection of Prospect Avenue and River Road. The car was missing its front bumper and license plates, with the headlights turned off, said Frazee.
“Due to recent burglaries and high-end motor vehicle thefts in that general area, extra patrols have been assigned to this area as a deterrent,” Frazee said. Cahill “detected something was wrong and turned around as the vehicle pulled away making a left turn onto River Road westbound,” he said.
When Cahill activated his emergency lights and siren, the vehicle sped off, improperly passing vehicles and crossing into oncoming traffic, Frazee said.
Alerted to the pursuit, Patrolman Shane Dengel saw the vehicle turn right from West Front Street onto North Bridge Avenue at a high rate of speed, and then run a red light at Riverside Avenue, just south of the Route 35 Cooper’s Bridge, Frazee said.
There, the suspect vehicle crashed into two others in the intersection, and its occupants fled on foot.
After a brief foot chase, Dengel and Cahill apprehended the pair behind the former Exxon gas station, Frazee said.
“As a result of the accident, the only injured people were both the driver and passenger of the suspect vehicle, who sustained head and back injuries,” Frazee said.
A search of the Hyundai produced a 9mm Ruger SR9C handgun loaded with hollow point bullets, as well as 41 individually wrapped vials of suspected crack/cocaine, Frazee said.
Arrested were Alix Eugene, 23 years old, and Jamir Brown, 29. Both face a slew of gun-related charges, including possession of a defaced firearm, as well as unlawful possession of hollow-point ammunition and a high-capacity magazine; possession with intent to distribute narcotics; eluding and and resisting arrest.
In addition, Brown was issued 10 traffic summonses for alleged offenses he committed during the incident. The vehicle was registered in Eugene’s name, Frazee said.
Frazee praised Cahill and Dengel for their efforts, with assistance from officers Nick Maletto and Preston Mellaci.
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