Incident: Sunday, October 25, 2026, Belleville, New Jersey (Essex County). Reported by NBC Connecticut and WESM from the Belleville mayor and Connecticut State Police.
A Belleville police officer was hit by a driver during a traffic stop Sunday, and the driver took off. He was caught about 100 miles away in Connecticut hours later.
The stop happened near Branch Brook Park, in the area of Mill Street and Union Avenue. Officers were trying to take the driver into custody when one officer was struck by the vehicle. Another officer fired, and the driver fled, according to the mayor’s preliminary account.
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The struck officer’s injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Two officers were at a hospital overnight.
Connecticut State Police found the car in New Britain around 2 a.m. Monday and took the driver into custody. The driver has not been identified, and charges have not been announced.
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