Rahway Man Rammed New Clark Police SUVs After Getting Caught Asleep Behind the Wheel

A routine traffic stop turned into a nightmare for Clark Police on Thursday.

According to Clark Police Chief Alan Scherb, a Clark officer spotted a driver, Gary Sweet, 37, of Rahway, asleep behind the wheel at the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Raritan Road around 4 a.m. on March 7.

"When the officer approached, the driver took off," Scherb told Patch. "Two officers followed, but did not chase, the suspect vehicle back to his home in Rahway. When the suspect pulled into his driveway, one officer pulled in front of the driveway, blocking his exit."

Scherb says the suspect then put his car in reverse and floored the gas pedal, ramming the police car (one of Clark's new police SUVs) and pushing it about 20 feet.

The driver then went head one with the other officer's SUV, then put it in reverse and hit the first SUV again, says Scherb.

"At that point, he had disabled his car and the officers apprehended him after a brief foot chase," says Scherb. Scherb says the officers – Brian Renda, Brian Pereira and Joseph LoPrete – sustained minor injuries.

Scherb is waiting to here the extent of the damage to the SUVs, but as of yet they have not been considered totaled.

Sweet was charged with possession of CDS (controlled dangerous substances), eluding, aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and criminal mischief. Bail was set at $150,000 and he was subsequently transported to the Union County Jail.