A Paterson man faces several charges after police in Teaneck said he fled a traffic stop, jumped a curb and struck an 18-year-old woman walking on a sidewalk.
The incident began shortly before 5 p.m. on April 16 when Teaneck police pulled over a car on Palisade Avenue near Votee Park after an officer witnessed the driver commit several traffic violations, according to Police Chief Andrew R. McGurr.
“The vehicle initially pulled over, but as the officer approached on foot to engage the driver, the vehicle fled southbound at a high rate of speed,” McGurr said in a statement Thursday.
The officer did not pursue the fleeing vehicle but instead called a description and travel direction into police headquarters, McGurr said.
A short time later, the fleeing vehicle jumped a curb on Dewey Place and struck the woman on the sidewalk, McGurr said.
The woman, who lives in the township, was treated by paramedics at the scene before she was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
“Following the crash, the vehicle continued to travel east on Dewey Place and could not be located,” McGurr said.
Investigators interviewed witnesses and obtained surveillance video from the neighborhood, eventually identifying a suspect in the case, the chief said.
Michael Hammond, 32, was arrested Thursday in Saddle Brook. Hammond was charged with second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree counts of eluding and endangering an injured victim, and fourth-degree assault by auto.
Hammond was taken to the Bergen County Jail to await a first-appearance court hearing. Attorney information for Hammond was not listed Friday in online court or jail records.
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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
