A man who had pulled into a service area on the Garden State Parkway is being charged with drug possession and assault on a police officer.
The man allegedly struck a police officer with his vehicle as he tried to flee the Montvale rest area after officer had reportedly spotted heroin in the man's vehicle. After he was taken into custody, the man was taken to Bergen County Jail in Hackensack.
The incident began after a police officer apparently noticed bags of heroin on the center console of the 28-year-old New York man's 2006 Subaru Outback.
According to a media source, the Montvale officer had apparently reached into the car from the driver's side after he spotted the drugs.
That's when the suspect allegedly pulled away in his vehicle, striking the officer in the arm as he did so.
The officer, along with his partner, then pursued the man on the highway, as the suspect reportedly tossing what appeared to be bags of heroin out of his open car window.
Soon afterwards, the man pulled over and stopped on the southbound shoulder of the parkway, where he arrested, law enforcement officials said.
He now faces a list of charges, including possession of heroin, aggravated assault on a police officer, eluding, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and attempted destruction of evidence.
Police claim the man had 35 bags of heroin.
He was taken to Bergen County Jail and a bail amount of $25,000 was set.
Source: NorthJersey.com, "Man faces drug, assault charges after Garden State Parkway chase," July 3, 2012