A maniac with a knife slashed a police officer, injured two other officers, carjacked multiple drivers and attempted to steal police cars during a spate of violent crimes early Sunday morning, authorities said. .
According to Bergen County prosecutors, Bronx resident Uvaldo Gonzalez stole a car during an armed carjacking somewhere in New York City and drove across the Hudson River to South Hackensack, where he was killed on Sunday at 2 a.m. He is suspected of causing a car crash shortly after around 1:30 p.m. Mark Musella.
Musella said Gonzalez, 43, tried unsuccessfully to steal another car, then carjacked someone at knifepoint and then drove away in the second stolen car before police arrived. It is said that he ran away.
About 20 minutes later, a witness called the Port Authority Police Department to report the car was driving erratically on three tires, an agency spokeswoman said.
Officers found Mr. Gonzalez and his stolen silver Toyota Sienna stuck on the upper level of the George Washington Bridge near the New Jersey side, at which point Mr. Gonzalez got out of the car and drove into another car. Police said he tried to steal the car.
When that failed, he opened the passenger door of Port Authority employee Miguel Correa's police cruiser and jumped in.
Police said Correa got out of the squad car and jumped out the open window, where Gonzalez began cutting him in the face with a knife.
Correa and two other officers eventually subdued the man and took him to Hackensack Hospital for evaluation while awaiting arraignment on attempted murder, aggravated assault and theft charges.
All three officers were taken to the same hospital and released with only minor injuries.
The Port Authority said Gonzalez had a lengthy rap sheet with 17 prior arrests, including robbery, drug possession, trespassing and assault, and had two active warrants in New York. .
Port Authority PBA Chairman Frank Conti praised the officers for a “job well done.”
“I am extremely pleased that no one was more seriously injured,” Conti said in a statement.
“This is another example of the dangers of police work and the willingness of members of the police force to act proactively and accomplish their duties.”
