Jacque Cook

By Sam Barron From Daily Voice

A 25-year-old Union man was arrested and charged with striking a Newark police officer with his car last week, authorities announced Wednesday, Dec. 10.

At 3:30 p.m., on Wednesday, Dec. 3, a Newark police sergeant conducted a traffic stop of a gray 2013 Mercedes-Benz in the 200 block of South Street, Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, Sr. said.

The driver, Jacques Cook became agitated during the stop and refused to comply with the request to exit the vehicle, Miranda said.

The officers attempted to remove Cook from the vehicle, but he turned his steering wheel in the sergeant’s direction and struck him before driving away at high speed, heading eastbound on South Street, Miranda said. 

The injured sergeant was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of swelling and bruising to his knee, Miranda said. 

On Monday, Dec. 8, Cook was located as a passenger inside a vehicle driven by Jessica Washington, a 26-year-old Irvington woman on the 600 block of South 10th Street, Miranda said.

Cook is charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, criminal mischief, possession of a weapon and leaving the scene of an accident, Miranda said.

Washington was charged with  obstruction of the administration of the law and hindering apprehension, Miranda said.

She had previously denied knowing Cook's whereabouts,  Miranda said.