Another Lawrence Cop Attacked, Jumps on Hood to Avoid Being Run Over

A Lawrence Township police sergeant had to jump onto the hood of a moving car to avoid being run over this evening (Saturday, May 5) after the woman who was driving the car allegedly accelerated the vehicle at the officer as he was walking toward her to arrest her in connection with outstanding warrants, township police officials have confirmed.

Moments after leaping onto the hood, Sgt. Joseph Lech IV rolled off the vehicle and landed on the ground in the parking lot in front of the Macy’s store at Quaker Bridge Mall on Brunswick Pike (Route 1). He suffered only minor injuries.

Lech made his split-second jump around 8:30 p.m. Two hours later, the woman – having allegedly sped away from the mall after nearly running the sergeant down – was still being sought by police.

Officials said they know who the woman is and were in the process of obtaining an arrest warrant charging her with aggravated assault on a police officer.

The woman – wanted in connection with warrants from another municipality – was at the Macy’s store when police were alerted to her presence, officials said. Lech spotted her as she was entering her vehicle in the parking lot, officials said.

After positioning his patrol car in front of the woman’s vehicle, Lech got out and started to approach her. But as he did so, officials said, the woman allegedly accelerated out of her parking space and headed straight toward Lech, forcing him to jump onto the hood to avoid being hit.

Driving over a curb, the woman was able to slip past Lech’s patrol car and get away, Lech having already rolled off the hood.

Lech, the sergeant who is regularly scheduled to patrol Quaker Bridge Mall, is one of to raise awareness about and financial support for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

The fund honors police officers who have died in the line-of-duty and works to support the families they left behind.

This evening’s incident at Quaker Bridge Mall was the second time in little more than 24 hours that a Lawrence Township police officer was attacked while in the performance of his duties.

About 6:20 p.m. on Friday (May 4) Officer off Brunswick Circle Extension. Two bystanders helped Laird subdue the suspect prior to the arrival of backup officers.

One of those bystanders, Sam Pangaldi, a volunteer firefighter at Slackwood Fire Co. who also serves as a member of the Lawrence Township Zoning Board of Adjustment, said afterward that the incident at Quick Chek should serve as a wakeup call for township residents and council members who might think layoffs are the way to balance the township’s budget problems.

“You never know what can happen. This is exactly why we can’t afford to lay any cops off,” Pangaldi said on Friday.