On Friday, July 9, 2010 at approximately 12:55 a.m. in the morning, while monitoring Roselle police radio, Sgt. Dima heard Roselle PD units dispatched to the scene of a carjacking on Douglass Road. RPD described the actor as a black male with short dreads armed with a rifle. RPD then described the carjacked vehicle as a 2004 Dodge Neon, silver in color.
At 1:05 a.m., Sgt. Dima was parked facing Locust Street about 20 feet from the roadway in the STS parking lot. At the southeast corner of the Locust Street / Rt.28 intersection. Sgt Dima then observed a silver Dodge Neon traveling north on Locust Street from Roselle. The Dodge stopped at the red traffic signal. The driver had short dreadlock style hair. Sgt. Dima slowly moved forward and confirmed the plate given by Roselle PD. The Neon accelerated through the red light and turned left to westbound Rt 28. Detective Dima activated the lights and siren as he followed the Neon westbound. He notified HQ of the location and the reason for the pursuit. The vehicle traveled through Roselle Park into Cranford on North Ave. Turning onto Springfield Ave. Sgt. Dima notified Cranford and the Neon was eventually able to elude and escape apprehension.
A minute or so later, Kenilworth PD advised they were pursuing the same Neon northbound on North 21st Street (a continuation of Orange Avenue in Cranford). The Neon traveled towards Route 22, where Kenilworth PD lost sight of the Neon in the area of Oak Street.
A short time later, Union PD and Springfield PD arrested the driver of the Neon, identified as Denzel Wright of Newark, NJ, after he crashed in the Burger King parking lot, approximately 50 yards east of Michigan Avenue. Inside the carjacked vehicle, Roselle PD recovered a fully loaded Cobray / Leinad CM-II semi-auto machine pistol.
For the Roselle Park charges of 2nd degree eluding 2C:29-2B bail was set at $50,000. Additional charges were filed by Roselle PD for the carjacking and robbery.