Trenton man steals cop’s phones during struggle

TRENTON » A city man is accused of stealing two cellphones from a cop who was struggling with another man during a traffic stop over the weekend.

Officials say the incident began after a detective saw a vehicle speeding on Stuyvesant Avenue early Saturday morning. During the subsequent traffic stop, the driver

— identified as 21-year-old Joshua Abrams

— jumped out of the car and walked away. After Abrams refused orders to stop walking, officials say, a detective detained him, and that’s when the struggle started.

It’s unclear why Abrams felt the need to assault a cop over a speeding ticket, since no one in the vehicle was charged with weapons or drug offenses. But officials say Abrams punched the detective in the shoulder, which sparked the tussle.

During the struggle, officials say, Kavon Howard and Fuquan Rivers jumped out of the car and threatened the cop. As Howard and Rivers shouted threats, officials say, a crowd surrounded the detective.

Assisting police units soon arrived and arrested a total of four people: Abrams, Howard, Rivers, and 42-year-old Lynnette Leggett, who is also accused of threatening the cop.

After the arrestees were in handcuffs, officials

say, the detective who initiated the traffic stop couldn’t find his two cellphones. Officials say the phones were in the cop’s vest pocket, but must have fallen out during the struggle with Abrams.

Police didn’t find the phones until they returned to headquarters to book the group on charges. Officials say 18-year-old Howard had both of the cop’s phones in his possession, so he was charged with theft, as well as disorderly conduct, failure to disperse and obstructing the administration of law.

Rivers, 18, and Leggett are also charged with disorderly conduct, failure to disperse, and obstructing the administration of law. Abrams received those three charges, as well as aggravated assault and resisting arrest.