Police: Vineland man rammed cop cars during chase
BRIDGETON - City police have arrested a man they said struck two police cars in an escape attempt from a routine traffic stop.
Alphonso M. Wilkins Jr., 28, of the 700 block of East Pear Street in Vineland, was stopped at 12:14 a.m. Friday for an alleged motor vehicle violation on South Pearl Street, according to police.
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"As the officer was speaking to Mr. Wilkins, the officer noticed that Wilkins would not move his right hand off of his right pants pocket and did everything using his left hand," police wrote on their Facebook page. "These actions and several other actions by Wilkins heightened the officer's awareness."
Backup was called, and Wilkins was questioned more about the situation with his pocket, police said.
"Wilkins became increasingly defensive with the officers and began disobeying orders and attempted to get the officers' attention away from the item in his pocket," police wrote.
That's about when the situation escalated, police said.
An officer attempted to open Wilkins' car door, but the suspect started his vehicle and drove off, nearly striking the officer, police said.
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A pair of officers then followed Wilkins to a parking lot of a McDonald's, where the suspect allegedly rammed his car into a police cruiser in another escape attempt, police said.
Wilkins is accused of then striking another law enforcement vehicle — a Cumberland County sheriff''s cruiser — that had just arrived on the scene.
"After striking the sheriff's vehicle, Wilkins stopped a short distance away and fled on foot," police wrote.
Wilkins was taken into custody, according to police.
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A loaded .25 caliber semiautomatic handgun was recovered from the scene, police said. It is unclear if Wilkins had the gun in his pocket at the time of the traffic stop.
Wilkins is charged with aggravated assault on law enforcement, resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, eluding police in a motor vehicle and possession of a large-capacity ammunition magazine.
Wilkins was taken to the Cumberland County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Police noted no officers were injured in the incident.
Daniel J. Kov: (856) 563-5262; dkov@gannettnj.com