PATERSON — The carjacking of an Amazon delivery van ended when it got stuck on railroad tracks Thursday.

The driver was parked and preparing to make a delivery at the intersection of Straight and Fulton streets when a man got inside, pushed the driver to the passenger side and started driving, according to police Public Safety Director Jerry Speziale.

Speziale said the Amazon driver began to frantically wave and got the attention of two officers as he tried to exit the van while it was still moving.

The carjacker, who police later identified as Rafael Rodriguez, 37, hit speeds of 50 mph as the officers followed the van.

The side door of the van was ripped off when the van sideswiped an NJ Transit bus.

An NJ Transit spokeswoman told New Jersey 101.5 that the van "clipped" the bus and a mirror ripped off but no one on board the bus was injured.

Amazon delivery van on train tracks after a carjacking
Amazon delivery van on train tracks after a carjacking (RLS Metro Breaking News)
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The pursuit quickly ended when Rodriguez turned onto freight train tracks and got stuck.

The man tried to make a run for it but was captured by police and taken into custody, according to Speziale.

"Great Job PPD quickly recognizing an Amazon carjacked driver and calmly ending and rescuing the driver and arresting the suspect," Speziale wrote on his Facebook page.

No charges have yet been filed against Rodriguez, who Speziale said is homeless.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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