Crime & Safety

Wyckoff Man Accused of Starting Cop Chase in Snowstorm

Daniel Chaupiz, 21, in contempt of a court order, fled to Ridgewood home after officers tried to pull him over, police said.

A Wyckoff man was arrested last week after police say he failed to comply with a court order, and then ran away from cops during a snowstorm last week, township Police Chief Benjamin Fox said this week.

According to Fox, Wyckoff Officer Kyle Ferreira attempted to stop a car “driving erratically” on Wyckoff Avenue at about 1:05 a.m. on Jan. 3, Fox said in a release Thursday.

When the driver wouldn’t stop, a “brief pursuit was initiated,” Fox said, however, cops called it off quickly due to the poor road conditions during last Friday’s snowstorm.

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A subsequent investigation located the car at a home in Ridgewood and identified the driver as township resident Daniel Chaupiz, 21, Fox said. When cops responded to the home, its owner, Kimberly Albano, 53, told them Chaupiz and her daughter were inside, but refused to let them in and would not let the officers speak with the Wyckoff man, Fox said.

Police issued a warrant for Chaupiz charging him with multiple motor vehicle offenses, eluding a police officer, and contempt of court for failing to install an interlock device in his vehicle following a DWI conviction as ordered by the court, Fox said. He turned himself in at Wyckoff police headquarters and was released after posting a bail bond of $25,000, police said.

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According to cops, Albano was charged with hindering apprehension, served with the complaint, and released of her own recognizance.


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