4 charged after manhunt and shooting in Trenton
TRENTON » Four people face criminal charges following a car chase with cops Wednesday in the city’s West Ward that led to a manhunt and brief stand- off inside one of the sus- pect’s apartment complex, authorities said Thursday.
Dion Battle, 28, Shaiquan A. Hearns, 20, and Yahonatan R. Salter, 28, all of Trenton, each face charges of attempted murder, conspiracy and unlawful possession of a weapon, all first-degree crimes.
Tameka Flemming, 30, also of Trenton, was charged with two counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, third-degree hindering apprehension, fourth-degree obstruction and unlawful possession of a large-capacity magazine.
All four are being held Mercer County jail awaiting detention hearings.
The men face up to 30 years in prison on the attempted murder charge, while the other first-degree offenses carry a maximum of 20 years.
They’re also charged with second-degree possession of a weapon as a convicted felon and possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose and third-degree hindering apprehension.
State Police said the three men were previously convicted of crimes under the No Early Release Act, elevating the gun charge to first-degree.
Salter was one of eight people arrested in the January 2018 double murder of rapper Jerard Perdomo-Santana, known by his stage name Elmii Problema, and his 19-year-old friend Ivan Rodriguez, during a botched drug deal.
Salter, originally charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder, pleaded guilty to thirddegree witness tampering as part of a plea deal with Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri’s office. He was placed on probation.
Wednesday’s manhunt began around 2:17 p.m. after a Hamilton Township Police officer, assigned to the State Police Crime Suppression Central Unit Task Force, interrupted a shooting near West State and Parkside Avenue.
The officer, who was not identified, followed the suspects’ vehicle in an unmarked car to the Oakland Park apartments at 224 Coolidge Avenue.
Cops said that’s when Battle, Hearns and Salter fired at the officer, who was not wounded. The task force car was not hit and the suspects ran off on foot.
Police from Trenton and Ewing assisted State Police in the arrest. Cops brought in the heavy artillery, as the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office’s armored truck was called in.
A State Police helicopter hovered overhead, as several heavily armored cops, many carrying assaultstyle rifles, stood guard outside the the roped-off apartment complex.
Salter was apprehended outside, while Battle and Hearns holed up inside Flemming’s apartment.
Flemming was arrested as she tried to leave the apartment with two handguns concealed in a small backpack, State Police said. A loaded large-capacity magazine also was found in the backpack.
Battle and Hearns were taken into custody and arrested inside the apartment.
The quartet are being prosecuted by the state AG’s Division of Criminal Justice gangs and organized crime bureau. State Police said the investigation is still open.