The incident began around 5:03 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, when Clifton Officers Benjamin Bressel and Fabricio Martinez, patrolling near the Route 21 North and Route 46 East merge, spotted a rider on a 2014 Honda TRX ATV, Lt. Robert Anderson said. The rider, later identified as Zahir Pujols, was wearing a ski mask and committing multiple motor vehicle violations, according to police.
The officers followed the ATV at a safe distance without activating their lights or initiating a stop. The rider continued onto Route 20 North, eventually exiting onto Market Street toward Lakeview Avenue, police said.
Pujols then abandoned the ATV and fled on foot. Officer Martinez stayed with the vehicle while Officer Bressel and other officers searched the area. The ATV, which had a damaged ignition, was found to contain an unloaded Keltec .22LR handgun in a storage compartment under the seat, police said.
A short time later, Officer Bressel located Pujols hiding under a parked vehicle near the intersection of Market Street and Vreeland Avenue. Officers Bressel, Martinez, and Jomarcel Urena arrested Pujols without incident.