A Staten Island man is accused of calling in a fake 911 report about a knife fight in Saddle Brook before intentionally crashing into a police vehicle and fleeing, authorities said.
Peter Soliman, 26, was charged with filing a fictitious report, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, and eluding following the incident on Tuesday, June 9, according to Saddle Brook Police Chief John A. Zotollo Jr.
Officers responded to a 911 call reporting a fight involving a possible knife in the parking lot of 189 Route 46 West, police said. Police arrived and determined the reported fight never happened.
While investigating the call, officers spotted a blue Ford van leaving the parking lot at a high rate of speed and heading west on Route 46, according to police. At the time, officers did not know whether the vehicle was connected to the reported fight.
A short time later, an officer located the van near North 6th Street, police said. According to investigators, Soliman reversed the van and intentionally struck a Saddle Brook police vehicle before fleeing a short distance and stopping on a nearby side street.
Police took Soliman into custody at the scene. Investigators later determined that Soliman had placed the false 911 call himself. Both the officer and Soliman were taken to a hospital with minor injuries from the crash, authorities said.
Further investigation on the scene by the Saddle Brook Police revealed that Soliman called in the bogus 9-1-1 fight report, hoping to distract the officers, his specific motivation remained unknown as of press time.
Soliman was charged with fourth-degree fictitious report to law enforcement, second-degree aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, second-degree eluding, and multiple motor vehicle violations, police said.
After being released from the hospital, Soliman was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.