On Sunday July 5th in Englewood Cliffs, a woman and her two children, her daughter 13, and son 11, were headed to a friend s home when they spotted a man lying in the street, who appeared to be choking. The woman stopped her vehicle and got out to check on the man, Sereymanta Kong 22, from Wallingford, CT. Kong sprang up and chased her back to her vehicle after she called 911 and checked on his well being. The woman immediately ran and got her children out of the vehicle before he could take off with them. Kong then fled with the carjacked vehicle and Police Officers Mark Krapels and Dan O Shea were quickly on scene to chase Kong. When the officers reached Sylvan Avenue near 9W, Kong rammed into both of their police cruisers. At which point Kong then reversed the stolen vehicle and backed into Krapels police cruiser. He then proceeded to exit out the passenger side of the vehicle and got into a scuffle with several other police officers from Alpine, Palisades Interstate Parkway, as well as Tenafly. Throughout the ordeal he was able to get inside Mark Krapels police cruiser and immediately fled the scene. A pursuit was on and went throughout multiple towns in Bergen County. The pursuit went through Alpine,Paramus, Dumont, New Milford, Bergenfield, and River Edge. Kong proceeded to enter Route 4 West towards Paramus from Hackensack Avenue and the police officers continued on as well, while on the highway he rammed into a New Milford Police Officer, but not before he stuck his tongue out at him. The Police Officers vehicle was then hit by another New Milford Police Officer. Leonia Police Officer Erik Goodell at that point decided he had to do something immediately, Leonia Police Chief Thomas Rowe told Cliffview Pilot. Police Officer Erik Goodell then rammed the back of the stolen police cruiser into the lawn of the Paramus Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealer. Kong then immediately fled on foot but was very quickly caught by the Police Officers who converged on scene and ended the ordeal.
Mr. Kong has been charged with three counts each of assaulting various law enforcement officers, resisting arrest, carjacking and eluding with serious injury, in addition to assault on a corrections officer, disarming a police officer, and obstruction.
For more information please go to Cliffview Pilot Leonia Police Officer stops multiple town pursuit Here is Cliffview Pilots dash cam video of the incident
Under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b)(5)(a) is Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer for which there are serious consequences. If the Police Officer suffers bodily injury it is a crime of the 3rd degree for which someone is looking at 3 to 5 years in State Prison.
N.J.S.A. 2C:12-11 is Disarming a Police Officer, or Corrections Officer, which is a crime of the 2nd degree which a person will be looking at 5 to 10 years in state prison, if the gun is then used to threaten the officer, or another person, or if it is fired that is a crime of the 1st degree for which someone is looking at 10 to 20 years in state prison.
N.J.S.A 2C:15-2 is Carjacking, which is unlawfully taking a person s vehicle. It is a crime of the 1st degree which a person will be facing 10 to 30 years in state prison. hjhjh
N.J.S.A. 2C:29-2(b) is Eluding an Officer which if it leads to or creates an injury or death it can become a 2nd degree crime. Which a person will be facing 5-10 years in state prison.
