The Kenilworth Police Department announced the arrest of an armed Newark man following an overnight vehicle stop.
According to police, Sgt. Michael Scanielo stopped Claude Wallace at approximately 10:25 Wednesday night for operating an unregistered vehicle and not observing a traffic control device.
During the interaction with Wallace, police say Sgt. Scanielo detected the odor of raw marijuana coming from the interior of the vehicle. When questioned about the marijuana, Wallace who was still inside the vehicle became nervous and abruptly pulled out an object from the vehicle's center console.
Wallace then refused to comply with officers verbal commands before fleeing the vehicle on foot.
Patrolman Ryan Kernan who was also on scene as a backup unit identified the item in Wallace’s hand as a handgun and tackled him in the roadway. While struggling with Wallace and attempting to place him under arrest, police were able to wrestle away the loaded gun and secure it.
Ultimately Wallace has been placed under arrest and charged with several offenses including unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of hollow-point bullets, resisting arrest, individuals with firearm prohibited and possession of marijuana.
Chief John Zimmerman said, “Thanks to the quick actions and decisions of both Sgt. Scanielo and Officer Kernan no one was seriously injured in a situation that could have ended very differently.”
A firearms trace on the weapon revealed that it was reported stolen out of Georgia in 2016.
Wallace was also issued numerous summonses for motor vehicle violations and transported to the Union County Jail pending a first appearance in the Union County Superior Court.