Within minutes of hearing a police radio broadcast of an armed carjacking in Irvington, Essex County sheriff’s officers arrested two males in the suspect vehicle.
According to authorities, officers were traveling east on 17th Avenue when they heard a radio transmission alerting local law enforcement officers of a carjacking at gunpoint that occurred Thursday at approximately 9 p.m. on Chestnut Street in Irvington.
Police said moments later, officers observed the carjacked 2013 Cadillac SRX occupied by two male occupants traveling west on 17th Avenue. Officers immediately turned around and activated their siren to conduct a motor vehicle stop.
Instead of pulling over, the suspect vehicle accelerated to a high rate of speed in an effort to elude the sheriff’s officers. The Cadillac, driven by Robert Williams, 18 of Irvington, drove through multiple red lights, stop signs and through on-coming traffic. Officers followed the Cadillac, until the area of Elizabeth and Watson avenues, where the suspect vehicle crashed into a fence.
Police said Williams and his accomplice, Shakeem Watkins, 18 of Newark, remained locked inside the car until officers made a forcible entry and removed both men. A pat-down search of the suspects for officer safety revealed Williams to be in possession of two small plastic bags of marijuana.
To date, both suspects are charged with receiving stolen property and resisting arrest.
In addition, Williams was charged with eluding police and possession of CDS. He was also issued summonses for being an unlicensed driver, careless driving, reckless driving and failure to obey traffic signals.
Last night, a search of the attempted escape route yielded a semi-automatic magazine clip. Police said the search for a handgun continues.
After processing the suspects on Thursday’s charges, they were turned over to Irvington police for further investigation into the carjacking incident.
Further charges against Williams and Watkins are pending.