A man in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, is now sitting behind bars five months after an alleged 13-mile chase. He is accused of fleeing in a stolen SUV and successfully evading the police, even though the authorities used K-9 units and drones to locate him.
As reported by The Observer, citing the Lyndhurst Deputy Chief of Police Paul F. Haggerty, the incident occurred back on January 14, 2026. At around 10:08 p.m., the Lyndhurst Police Department (LPD) was notified of a stolen vehicle, a Honda HR, entering Lyndhurst Township via Stuyvesant Avenue.
An LPD officer was traveling northbound on Stuyvesant at the time. He observed the Honda traveling southbound, eventually passing his patrol car.
A pursuit followed, and the officer approached the stolen vehicle, the LPD said. Still, the Honda wouldn’t stop, as the driver allegedly ran a red light.
Pursuit Continues
According to the LPD, the Honda driver continued to drive recklessly. This included alleged instances of traveling on the opposite side of the road, running another red light, and speeding.
This reckless driver streak continued through several boroughs, police said. For around 10 miles, the pursuit continued through East Rutherford, Rutherford, and Clifton.
Eventually, the vehicle reached the neighboring city of Paterson. Given the change of jurisdictions, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) joined as the primary pursuing agency.
Pursuit Ends, Foot Chase
Once in Paterson, the pursuit ended. At an apartment complex parking area located on Sandy Court, the driver, later identified as 21-year-old Jeramy J. Rivera, ditched his vehicle and fled on foot, the LPD said.
A deputy with the PCSO and LPD officers chased Rivera shortly after leaving the vehicle at the apartment complex. However, the 21-year-old man had a 100-yard lead on them, so he soon became unreachable.
Other agencies quickly responded to the scene to help locate Rivera. These include the PCSO, the New Jersey State Police, the East Rutherford Police Department, and the Paterson Police Department.
Successfully Fleeing, Successfully Arrested
Still, despite the use of K-9 units and a drone, Rivera was nowhere to be found. He had successfully escaped, but authorities took a female juvenile into custody who had exited the Honda. Reportedly, she was known to the LPD and was then charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle.
For the next months, LPD’s Sgt. Joseph White investigated the incident and identified Rivera as the driver. A warrant for the man’s arrest was eventually issued on June 9 following the approval of a search warrant earlier in June.
Weeks later, on June 27, officers with the Paterson Police Department observed Rivera on the streets, walking. At 2:18 p.m., he was placed under arrest, processed at Lundhurst Police Headquarters, and then remanded to Bergen County Jail. He is charged with eluding, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, endangering the welfare of a child, endangering another person, and resisting arrest.