Maryland man arrested after chase injures three Westfield police officers
WESTFIELD - A Maryland man has been arrested following a pursuit that ended in a crash that injured three Westfield police officers.
Jason M. Burkett, 44, of Cockeysville, Maryland, was charged with second-degree resisting arrest, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, fourth-degree obstruction, third-degree and disorderly person offense of receiving stolen property, and criminal mischief, Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro said.
Around 5:10 p.m. April 18, Westfield police received alerts from license plate recognition (LPR) cameras that a car with stolen license plates had entered Westfield, Battiloro said.
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An officer located the car, a 2017 Nissan Altima registered in – and later found to be stolen from – Pennsylvania, and attempted a stop, but the driver, Brukett, refused and a pursuit followed from West Grove Street to Boulevard, across several neighborhoods, onto one front lawn on Frazee Court, and then into Garwood, he said.
Officers cornered Burkett at the rear of a gas station on North Avenue and Center Street. He collided with several police vehicles, failed to comply with commands, and was forcibly removed from the car and arrested.
Three officers sustained lacerations from broken glass while arresting Burkett and were treated on scene and then taken to a local medical center for further treatment.
“Vehicle pursuits are undoubtedly dangerous, but they have become necessary to effectively combat crimes involving stolen vehicles,” Battiloro said.
Burkett is currently at the Essex County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing.
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This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Maryland man arrested after chase injures Westfield police officers
