Wild police chase ends with drug, weapon charges
EDDYSTONE »A BMW with an expired tag fleeing from neighboring Chester entered the borough at a high rate of speed and when local police attempted to make a vehicle stop, the driver allegedly kept going – blowing through four stop signs along East 10th Street before entering the PECO Energy parking lot early Sunday.
“While in the parking lot, the vehicle turned around and drove in the direction of (Eddystone Police) Lt. (Joseph) Pretti, forcing him to take evasive action to avoid a collision,” according to the affidavit of probable cause for the arrest of the driver, 23-year-old Omar Nagi of Chester.
“The BMW then drove in the direction of my marked patrol vehicle, which had emergency lights and siren activated, causing me to take action to avoid a collision,” borough Police Sgt. Michael McNamee stated in the affidavit, which he authored.
After the two near-misses with the police officers, according to the affidavit, Nagi, the lone occupant in the vehicle, then drove over a large curb and exited the parking lot, onto Simpson Street. The vehicle turned onto East Ninth Street, and then onto Saville Avenue.
“While crossing Industrial Highway, (Route 291), the BMW failed to stop for a red signal and nearly caused Abdul an accident,” the affidavit states. From there, the elusive driver turned onto East Second Street, and then onto Eddystone Avenue.
While traveling on Eddystone Avenue, the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed. The vehicle turned onto Swarthmore Avenue and continued toward the Ridley Marina, which was gated closed. It was there that the BMW finally stopped shortly after 1:41 a.m. Sunday. Police estimated the chase through Eddystone and briefly in Ridley Park and Ridley Township, lasted about five minutes
“The male was ordered from the vehicle and to show his hands,” the affidavit states. McNamee was unable to see the suspect’s right hand and ordered the suspect several times to show his hand.
“The suspect was taken to the ground and placed into custody after a brief struggle,” the affidavit states.
Inside Nagi’s car, the affidavit states, police found saw a small black handgun and an empty magazine on the driver’s side floor board. Next to the handgun, a .380 Ruger LCP, and magazine was an orange prescription bottle with no label that contained 32 Alprazolam pills, a schedule 4 narcotic.
“The gun was loaded with a magazine with six rounds,” and its serial number was damaged in what police believed was an unsuccessful attempt to conceal it, the affidavit states. “The serial number was checked through (the National Crime Information Center) and discovered to be reported stolen from Chester City.”
Nagi was arrested and taken to Ridley Township police headquarters for processing and housing pending his preliminary arraignment.
Police determined that Nagi had no valid driver’s license, and the VIN on the BMW came back to a business in New Jersey. The registration on the BMW a white, 2004 325 model – came back to a female in Upland.
“That tag was expired in 2016,” Pretti said.
While the recovered firearm was reported stolen by a female in Chester, records show it is owned by an individual in Philadelphia, according to Pretti.
“We are still trying to figure that out,” he said.
Additionally, Pretti said, “While he was being interviewed for bail, he allegedly threatened to slap the county bail interviewer and the interview was stopped.”
Charges filed against Nagi included fleeing or attempting to elude an officer; four counts aggravated assault; receiving stolen property; firearms not to be carried without a license; use or possession of drug paraphernalia; resisting arrest; 11 counts of duties at stop sign; two counts failure to stop at red signal; reckless driving; and careless driving. He was preliminarily arraigned Dec. 3 by Magisterial District Judge Gregory J. Loftus. His bail was ultimately set at 10 percent of $500,000, which he failed to post, and he was remanded to the county prison where he remains.
Nagi’s preliminary hearing is listed for Dec. 11 before Magisterial District Judge Philip S. Turner. It was not immediately known if Nagi had legal counsel, though online records indicated he had requested a public defender.