Officers from the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office recently pursued a driver during a car chase in Paterson, New Jersey, which ultimately resulted in the man crashing his vehicle into a building and subsequently being charged with drugs and weapons offenses.
According to Richard H. Berdnik, Sheriff of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, officers witnessed a man driving a 2000 Volkswagen as he ran a stop sign in the vicinity of Marshall and Mary streets in Paterson on Thursday, January 23rd at approximately 5:15 p.m. After the driver nearly ran his car into their vehicle, the officers attempted to stop him, at which time the man tried to elude them.
The police chase ended when the driver, ultimately identified as 27-year-old Paterson resident Daquann L. Barnes, ran his vehicle into building located at 82 Marshall Street. Barnes fled the vehicle, as did a passenger who was also in the car, but Officer Chris Schiavo managed to detain Barnes on Mill Street. His unknown passenger remains unidentified.
After a search of Barnes’ person, police discovered he was in possession of 0.6 ounces of crystal meth, a loaded P95 9mm Ruger handgun, and nearly $3,000 dollars. He is now facing charges for possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS), possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of a defaced firearm, as well as multiple traffic offenses.
N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5 governs offenses involving the manufacture, distribution, dispensation, or possession with the intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense a controlled dangerous substance. These types of offenses can carry sentences ranging from 18 months to 20 years in New Jersey State Prison, depending upon the type of substance and the amount of said substance involved in the specific case.
Overall, charges of this kind are considered extremely serious under the New Jersey Criminal Code and are subject to strict sentencing parameters known as the “Brimage Guidelines.”
In typical cases, when prosecutors and defense attorneys negotiate a plea agreement for a specific defendant, the defense attorney maintains the opportunity to argue for a decreased sentence before the judge at the sentencing hearing. Many times, judges will agree to such terms; however, if an individual is facing a conviction subject to sentencing under the Brimage Guidelines, the judge is not permitted decrease the sentence to which the parties have agreed. This specific sentencing requirement can often result in a more severe sentence, as the prosecutor is granted additional leverage in the sentencing process.
For more information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Sheriff: Crystal meth, loaded gun found after Paterson car chase ends in crash
