Homeless Man Led Cops on Chase, Crashed Stolen Car, Police Say

A 54-year-old homeless man was arrested after he led cops on a chase in a stolen car Tuesday, Fair Lawn Police Sgt. Brian Metzler said.

Detective Paul Donohue and Detective Sgt. Tim O’Shaughnessy were driving on Broadway in an unmarked police car shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday when a license plate look-up revealed a 2005 Infiniti G35 they spotted had been stolen from a Morris Township home on Jan. 1, according to police.

The detectives followed the car toward Paterson and then back toward Fair Lawn in Elmwood Park. Officer Sean Macys then attempted to pull the car over, but the driver sped off, leading police on a chase until the driver of the stolen car crashed into a barrier in front of the Broadway Delta gas station and a parked car, according to Metzler. 

The driver, Frank Pierro, was arrested and he was found in possession of heroin, Metzler said. Pierro was charged with eluding, obstruction of justice, possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. He was taken to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Paterson for treatment of injuries from the crash and then held in Bergen County Jail on $35,000 bail.