‘Sauced’ NJ cop evades police after running red lights, cops say

🚨 An Atlantic City cop is charged with eluding police while 'a little sauced'

🚨 The police officer is also accused of lying about who was driving the vehicle

🚨 A defense attorney claims they have evidence clearing the cop, a report says

ATLANTIC CITY — A city cop is suspended without pay as he faces criminal charges for eluding a traffic stop while "a little sauced," according to court documents.

Fariyd Holmes, 36, of Mays Landing is a detective with the Atlantic City police. He was born in the city and graduated from Atlantic City High School in 2005, according to the police department.

Now Holmes is suspended without pay. He's charged with eluding a police officer who had tried to conduct a traffic stop, according to a criminal complaint.

Holmes will remain suspended until the criminal charges are resolved, police spokesman Lt. Kevin Fair confirmed to New Jersey 101.5.

Atlantic City cop accused of fleeing from a traffic stop

An Atlantic City cop in a marked police vehicle saw a dark blue Lexus blow through a red light at the intersection of Tennessee and Atlantic Avenues around 9:45 p.m. on Sept. 21, according to the criminal complaint obtained by New Jersey 101.5.

The pursuing officer gave chase and followed the Lexus as it weaved in and out of traffic at a "high rate of speed," documents said. Another cop said over the radio that they were nearly hit head-on by a reckless vehicle.

Still in pursuit, the officer following the Lexus turned on his emergency lights and tried to conduct a traffic stop. Instead of stopping, the luxury car blew through a red light at the intersection of Arkansas and Baltic Avenues as it made its way onto the Atlantic City Expressway, the complaint said.

The officer managed to get the vehicle's license plate and ended the pursuit.

Cop said he was "a little sauced"

When police checked to find out who owned the Lexus, they found it belonged to Det. Holmes. A patrol sergeant called the detective to get more information.

"Holmes stated his niece was driving the Lexus and he was waiting to be picked up, and also stated he was 'a little sauced.' Holmes did not provide his niece's information nor where he was located at the time of the call," the complaint said.

But video surveillance from the Pleasantville Toll Plaza showed a Black male talking on his cell phone while driving the Lexus and waiting to go through the toll booth, the affidavit said. Holmes is Black.

A license plate reader verified the Lexus was the same vehicle police had pursued earlier that night, documents said.

Defense attorney says AC police officer is innocent

Holmes pleaded not guilty to the eluding charge, defense attorney Lou Barbone said to Breaking AC.

Barbone said that they would present "exculpatory evidence" — evidence that would clear Holmes — to the state, according to the report.

The investigation is being handled by the Atlantic Couty Prosecutor's Office instead of the city police to avoid a potential conflict of interest.

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