Car thieves flee Parkway crash, arrested in Clark, NJ neighborhood

There were a few tense moments and miles of heavy traffic following a crash on the Garden State Parkway in Clark on Wednesday morning involving a car that was reported stolen.

Four people inside the car in a crash on the northbound Parkway just north of Exit 135 fled on foot, Mayor Sal Bonaccorso told New Jersey 101.5.

Clark police said they arrested three of the suspects while Cranford police apprehended one. They were turned over to State Police.

Mother Seton Regional High School, which is located near the interchange on the northbound side, and the neighboring Valley Road School went into a shelter-in-place mode as a precaution.

A special Clark police officer was sent to Valley Road School to provide security during the morning drop-off.

"At no time was there a threat to any school in town," Clark police said in a statement.

Starting the day with a commotion next door

Clark police made their arrests on Alice Lane, a neighborhood along the southbound Parkway, according to resident Jacki Venezio.

"I heard a commotion and looked out the window to see one of the suspects running up my neighbor's driveway and one of the officers apprehending him. Clark police, Cranford police and then Winfield came and blocked off the street. Arrested two of them," Venezio told New Jersey 101.5.

Delays developed in both directions of the Parkway near the crash scene but cleared by 9:30 a.m.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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