One Passaic man really should have just slowed down. Instead, he finds himself behind bars at the Bergen County Jail because he just couldn’t and wouldn’t.
According to Lyndhurst Police Department Public Information Officer Paul Haggerty:
On Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 at 9:37 a.m., Officer Montoya observed a white Ford F-350 pickup truck traveling at a high rate of speed in the area of Rutherford and Stuyvesant avenues. Because the driver was doing so errartically, Officer Montoya was unable to safely catch up to the vehicle, so he radioed his observations to other patrol units on the road.
Lt. Steve Passamano, who was on patrol in the vicinity, observed the vehicle failing to maintain its lane of travel while traveling south on Delafield Avenue in the area of New York Avenue.
The vehicle then made an abrupt right turn from Delafield Avenue onto Court Avenue, losing control of the vehicle and almost striking the curb. (It should be noted this is next to the township park and new Lyndhurst Train Station.)
Passamano activated his marked patrol unit’s emergency lights and sirens and attempted to stop the truck, but the driver refused to stop and continued to travel west on Court Avenue toward Stuyvesant Avenue.
The vehicle continued to operate in a reckless manner as it then made a right turn onto Stuyvesant Avenue and then a left turn onto Court Avenue westbound. Being able to close the distance on the vehicle, Passamano was able to obtain its registration (plate number) and relay that information to the communications center.
Upon approaching the intersection of Court Avenue near Park Avenue, Passamano began to disengage his from his efforts to stop the vehicle, because the vehicle continued to drive in reckless manner and because he awaiting information from the communications desk as to whether the vehicle was stolen and/or wanted.
However, Passamano was able to get a look at the driver of the vehicle before doing so. As it traveled through the intersection at Park Avenue, it nearly caused a collision with another vehicle traveling south on Park Avenue, and at that time, Passamano learned the vehicle was not stolen or wanted.
Understanding a pursuit would not be authorized under the NJOAG and agency’s policy, and given the circumstances, Passamano deactivated his emergency lights and siren and ceased any and all efforts to stop the vehicle.
With the vehicle registration now known, Passamano conducted a DMV inquiry on the vehicle’s registered owner, Isaac Gonzalezarmijo, 53, of Passaic, and confirmed that he was the operator of the vehicle after using his DMV photo to positively identify him.
An arrest warrant for second-degree eluding was subsequently drafted and motor vehicle summonses were issued for reckless driving, failure to stop & yield for an emergency vehicle, failure to use a turn signal, careless driving, disregarding a stop sign, making unsafe lane changes, and improper passing.
On Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, at approximately 9:20 a.m., officers and detectives apprehended Gonzalezarmijo at his residence in Passaic without incident. He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail on the warrant to await his first appearance in Bergen County Central Judicial Processing Court, Hackensack, after being processed at police headquarters.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.