2020 News Release

State Police Arrest Man Who Pointed Gun at Trooper during Pursuit

Troopers Seize Four Handguns and Arrest Two After Car and Foot Pursuit

Mahwah Township, N.J. - The New Jersey State Police have arrested two men after they led a trooper on a vehicle pursuit through two counties.  Tyree Newell, 20, of Bridgeport, CT allegedly pointed a gun at the pursuing trooper as Theron Brown, 22, of Bridgeport, CT, sped away after an attempted motor vehicle stop.

On Sunday, December 13, at approximately 11:08 a.m., a New Jersey State Trooper attempted to stop a Jeep Cherokee for a traffic violation on Interstate 287 north in Boonton Township, Morris County in the area of milepost 44.  When the trooper activated his emergency lights, the driver refused to stop and continued traveling northbound.

Based on the preliminary investigation, during the pursuit, Newell leaned out of the passenger-side window and pointed a handgun directly at the trooper.  The trooper took evasive action, striking the concrete barrier in the center median, but continued to pursue the suspects.  In the area of milepost 66.5 in Mahwah Township, Newell threw the weapon from the car.  He continued to throw objects form the vehicle as they continued south on State Highway 17.

In the area of Continental Soldier Field at Ramapo College, the suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.  After a brief foot pursuit, both suspects were apprehended by troopers and officers from the Mahwah Township Police Department.  During the foot pursuit, Newell attempted to discard a 9mm handgun.  It was later recovered in a wooded area by a trooper and an officer from Mahwah Police Department.

Montville Police recovered a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine at milepost 66.5 on Interstate 287.  Troopers recovered two additional 9mm handguns in the area of the Interstate 287 and State Highway 17 south interchange.  A total of four 9mm handguns were seized.

Tyree Newell was charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon (4 counts), possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, tampering with evidence (4 counts), hindering (4 counts), possession of hollow point ammunition, and possession of a high-capacity magazine.

Theron Brown was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon with a prior conviction (4 counts), unlawful possession of a weapon (4 counts), possession of hollow point ammunition, possession of a high-capacity magazine, certain persons not to possess a firearm, and eluding.

Newell and Brown were lodged at the Hudson County Jail pending a bail detention hearing.

The case is being investigated by the New Jersey State Police Major Crimes North Unit and is being prosecuted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.

Charges are mere accusations, and the accused are considered innocent until proven guilty.

# # #

Follow the New Jersey State Police online at Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The social media links provided are for reference only. The New Jersey State Police do not endorse any non-governmental websites, companies or applications.