Armed man subdued after wild car chase, stabbing

At 4:50 p.m. Nutley Police were called to the parking lot of a Franklin Avenue bank on a report of a man with a weapon. Upon arrival, officers learned that a man with a knife had been subdued by onlookers.

Police said their investigation disclosed that the man, Sefer Nasufi, 33, of Pompton Plains, had had a dispute with another man over a girlfriend and had struck the other man’s car at Vincent Place and Chestnut St. after traveling on the wrong side of the road while passing several vehicles.

When the victim pulled into the driveway, police say Nasufi again hit his rival’s car, then exited his vehicle and began chasing the other man with a knife, yelling that he was going to kill him. Police said the pair struggled and Nasufi stabbed the victim in his left forearm, causing a two-inch cut.

Taking custody of Nasufi, police said an officer spotted a yellow pill wrapped in cellophane sticking out of the suspect’s shirt pocket and a search of the suspect produced four more pills wrapped in a paper towel. The pills were later identified as oxycodone.

Nasufi was charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, terrorist threats, possession of a weapon and possession of drugs. He was also issued summonses for reckless driving and failure to keep right. Bail was set at $100,000 with a 10 percent cash option. Nasufi was released after posting bail, pending a court appearance.

In other incidents logged by Nutley P.D. during the past week:

Sept. 11

At 8:22 p.m. a Bloomfield Avenue resident called in a report of a house burglary. Police said the resident had left the house locked and, upon returning, noticed several items valued at about $3,000 missing. Police said they found no sign of forced entry.

Sept. 10

• At 10 p.m. police said someone took a River Road resident’s 2008 Toyota RAV4 from its parking spot. Police said they found no sign of broken glass or debris.

• At 4:55 p.m. police received a walk-in report on a suspected fraud. Police said the victim was contacted about an open lien on their account due to an unpaid AT&T bill but the victim never had such an account.

• At 2:59 p.m. police were contacted about someone having “keyed” a car parked in the Nutley High School parking lot. Police said the car’s front door and rear corner panel were damaged.

• At 2:46 p.m. a Franklin Avenue business reported a theft. Police said the business representative told them a customer, with whom they’d done business for the past decade, ordered some softball uniforms last March, left a deposit and picked up the uniforms, promising to pay the balance, but has never returned and isn’t responding to correspondence from the store. Police said they’ve tried to reach the individual.

• At 12:38 p.m. police received a report about a broken glass light fixture at a Hope Street residence. No known suspects have turned up, police said.

Sept. 8

At 8:59 a.m. police were called to a location on Ideal Court on a report of a neighborhood dispute which turned physical and resulted in the arrest of Joseph Barone, 50, of Nutley, on charges of burglary and two counts of simple assault. Barone was released on $50,000 bail pending a court appearance.

• At 3:29 a.m. police were called to a Bloomfield Avenue residence on a report of a robbery. The victims told police they were sitting on their porch when a man described as black, with a goatee, about 5-feet-10, wearing a black shirt, black pants and a white head wrap got out of the passenger side of a mid-90s Chevrolet Astro van and asked for their money. If they refused, the man told them, his partner in the van was going to start shooting. No weapon was displayed, the victims told police. Both turned over cash to the man, who then demanded more before rushing back to the van which then sped away. Police said the victims couldn’t see the driver, nor could they provide the van’s plate number. Police said they alerted other communities about the incident.

• At 2:57 a.m. police monitoring traffic along River Road noticed a yellow motorcycle do a “wheelie.” When an officer drove behind the cycle, police said the driver accelerated to speeds of up to 80 mph on Rt. 21 South. Police said the officer activated his lights and siren to stop the driver who, when asked for his paperwork, admitted he had a suspended license. Police said the driver, Marcellus Williams, 34, of Passaic, was wanted in Bergen County. As Williams was being placed under arrest, police said they found on him five plastic vacuum-packed and sealed bags containing a green leafy substance suspected of being marijuana, along with two rolls of cash totaling $1,614. He was charged with possession and distribution of marijuana and was issued summonses for careless driving, speeding and driving while suspended. He was held for pickup by Bergen County authorities.

— Ron Leir

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