Crime & Safety

Police: Hot Dog Vendor Helps Catch Car Thief

Newark man leads authorities on high-speed chase before crashing in Parsippany.

A Newark man driving a stolen vehicle led police on a high-speed chase through three towns Thursday, crashed on Route 46 near New Road and fled on foot before being apprehended in Parsippany with the help of a hot dog vendor, Fairfield Police said.

Charges are still pending against Peter Munoz, 22, who led police on a high-speed chase that originated on Route 46 in Fairfield and continued through Montville before crashing in Parsippany, Fairfield Police said.

Munoz then exited the vehicle and fled the area on foot toward the Pella Window store in Parsippany, Fairfield Police said.

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Frank Cocchi, a retired East Orange police officer who operates the hot dog truck in that area, spotted Munoz and tried to contain him by using his personal vehicle, Fairfield Police said.

Munoz was able to get around him and fled behind the building, Fairfield Police said. Munoz was found a short time later hiding in the bed of a pickup truck and was arrested without incident, Fairfield Police said.

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said no one was injured in the crash.

The pursuit began when Fairfield Police Officer Thomas Myers conducted a random license plate check of a 2012 silver Honda Civic that was traveling eastbound on Route 46 Thursday shortly before 10:30 a.m., Fairfield Police said. The check revealed the vehicle had been stolen out of Elizabeth on Wednesday, Fairfield Police said.

The Civic then began traveling westbound on Route 46 as officers converged on the area and pursued the vehicle, Fairfield Police said. Munoz refused to stop and Montville Police picked up the pursuit once it entered their jurisdiction, Fairfield Police said.

Munoz continued at a high rate of speed driving on the shoulder of Route 46 westbound, Fairfield Police said. The vehicle then crashed at the intersection of Route 46 and New Road, Fairfield Police said.

“The actions taken by retired officer Cocchi to assist us in apprehending this suspect is further proof that once someone has been a police officer they are always a police officer," Fairfield Police Chief Charles Voelker said.

"In this case instinct took over and as a result, there is one less car thief on our streets. I commend him and all of the officers for a job well done.”

Munoz is being held at the Fairfield Police Department as charges are prepared.


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