Westfield Police Make Arrest After Suspect Crashes Into Squad Car

WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield Police Department announced the arrest of a 16-year-old Newark teen on Sunday morning in connection with several burglaries to cars earlier that morning. Police say that after an officer approached a vehicle containing the suspects, the vehicle "sped directly toward him" and he had to dodge it to avoid a head-on collision.

Police say that at approximately 6:14 a.m., police responded to a report of a person attempting to gain access to parked vehicles on the 500 block of Topping Hill Road.

"It was reported the suspect was apparently accompanied by another person who was following the suspect while operating a white sedan," police say.

As Officer Frank Moya arrived in the area, police say, "He observed the suspect white sedan pull alongside a parked vehicle on Kimball Turn and its driver reach out the open window and pull on the parked vehicle’s driver side door handle."

Then, police say, the white sedan carrying suspects "sped directly towards [Moya's police car], traveling on the wrong side of the roadway, and forcing him to make an evasive maneuver to avoid a head-on collision. Following a crash with Officer Moya’s police vehicle while passing him on the right, the white sedan became disabled on several large rocks located on the front lawn of a nearby residence."

Both the male driver and a male passenger attempted to flee on foot, say police, disregarding the Officer Moya’s commands to stop.

Moya detained the passenger, but the driver fled.

The white sedan was determined to have been stolen from Elizabeth, police said in a separate email.

A 16 year-old male was charged with receiving stolen property, a third degree crime, and obstruction of the administration of law, a fourth degree crime. He was also determined to be wanted on a juvenile warrant issued by the Superior Court of the State of New Jersey, Essex County, police said.

Following a search of the area, the Westfield Police Department identified at least two unlocked vehicles that were burglarized and several more attempted burglaries, they said.

A 2020 Lexus RX was also reported stolen from the 500 block of Highland Avenue, police said, reportedly left unlocked with its key fob in it at the time of the theft.

Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro commended Officer Moya for his "extraordinary actions to avoid what would likely have been a very serious, head-on collision with a fleeing stolen vehicle and for his ability to quickly recover and then detain and arrest a fleeing suspect following a crash."

Battiloro said, “Responding to these reported motor vehicle burglaries and thefts has become extremely dangerous for our officers. Officer Moya performed admirably and, as a result, no one was injured as a result of this incident.”

The police patrol vehicle Officer Moya was operating was rendered unserviceable as a result of the crash.

Other car burglaries

Meanwhile, a town spokeswoman said that a police sent out an alert Tuesday morning — seeking information related to "numerous" car burglaries in a different neighborhood — was not related to the above incidents.

Police sent an alert Tuesday morning saying, "WPD investigating numerous MV burglaries on Bates Way and Willow Grove Parkway. Detectives seeking video. Please contact WPD if you can assist."

Police have arrested several groups out-of-town teenagers over the last year in connection with car burglaries, including three 16-year-olds in ski masks arrested on March 30.

Battiloro and other area law enforcement officers have reminded residents to lock their cars. Battiloro also has discussed what the town has done to address auto burglaries.

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