Joseph Lenio
The passenger stayed behind, and was arrested on a warrant
A Brigantine officer was struck by a car as a man fled a traffic stop, according to charges.
Joseph Lenio allegedly refused to give his name after Officer Benjamin Springer pulled him over just after 3 a.m. Wednesday.
Lenio, 61, of Brigantine, became argumentative, leading to Springer trying to remove the driver from the vehicle, according to the report.
That is when Lenio took off, striking the officer's arm with the vehicle, police said.
Springer initiated a pursuit, which was terminated in Atlantic City for safety reasons.
But Lenio's passenger had gotten out of the vehicle during the incident.
Melissa LoehnertMelissa Loehnert, it turned out, was a fugitive from Connecticut, according to the report. It did not specify what her charge there is.
An investigation led to Lenio's identity.
Officer Sam Cohen found Lenio's abandoned vehicle in Atlantic City, and had it towed.
Galloway Township K-9 Officer David LaSassa and his partner, Evo, arrived, with Evo indicating there were narcotics in the car, police said. A subsequent search warrant led to suspected crystal methamphetamine inside.
Officers Kenneth Panas and Joseph Sweet found Lenio in Atlantic City, and arrested him without incident, police said.
Lenio was charged with obstruction, eluding police, aggravated assault on police, resisting arrest with force, hindering apprehension, endangering another person, assault by auto and possession of methamphetamine.
Loehnert, 34, of Atlantic City, was charged with being a fugitive from justice and possession of methamphetamine.
Both were taken to the Atlantic County Justice Facility, where they learned Friday that the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office was not moving to detain them. Both were set to be released.
However, Loehnert remained held on the fugitive warrant, BreakingAC later learned. She was extradited to Connecticut on Oct. 14.
(NOTE: This story originally ran Oct. 4. It was updated to include the Melissa Loehnert's extradition.)
