Stolen car bursts into flames following police pursuit in Little Falls, NJ

LITTLE FALLS — A stolen car went up in flames following a high-speed chase in the Passaic County township.

On Saturday, a Little Falls police officer saw a speeding car traveling north on Route 23 near Bradford Avenue. The officer activated the emergency lights on his patrol car to chase the vehicle.

That’s when the suspected vehicle, a 2020 gray Hyundai Elantra, stolen out of Rockaway Township on Aug. 31, began making evasive maneuvers in traffic, pulling away from the officer.

Police dispatch was notified that the vehicle was failing to yield and the driver was losing control as the car entered the interchange of Routes 23, 46, and 80, and crashed.

The driver and front seat passenger got out of the vehicle and fled on foot, while one passenger remained injured inside the back seat, according to police.

The officer who had been chasing the vehicle, helped the injured man out of the car, just before it burst into flames.

The two suspects who fled on foot were quickly caught by Fairfield police who responded to assist.

Franklin Padillaruanao, Jerry Rosaleslandin, and Angel Rosarioalejandro, of Newark, were charged with failure to wear seat equipment, leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury, failure to report an accident, failure to give the proper signal - turning or stopping, driving without a license, speeding, reckless driving, traffic on marked lanes - unsafe lane change, failure to pull over a vehicle for an emergency vehicle, careless driving: likely to endanger person or property, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest - risk to another, and leaving the scene of an accident.

The trio was released on summons by bail reform guidelines and is scheduled to appear in Superior Court.

Jen Ursillo is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at jennifer.ursillo@townsquaremedia.com

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