The police arrested two men and seized two handguns in separate traffic stops over the weekend, according to public safety director Jerry Speziale.
Damond King, 30, and Taurean Thomas, 36, both of Paterson, were charged with various weapons offenses.
King was pulled over in an allegedly speeding Chevrolet Malibu on Carroll Street at around 10:10 p.m. on Saturday. He allegedly disregarded a stop sign on Carroll Street and Godwin Avenue. As police tried to stop the vehicle, King made a turn, entering Fair Street in the wrong direction in an attempt to flee.
King allegedly struck another vehicle on Fair Street and Rosa Parks Boulevard. He then got out of the vehicle and ran on foot. Detectives chased him down. King disregarded a gun and tried to enter a basement through a window on Fair Street. Police arrested him before he could get in.
King allegedly had a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a high-capacity magazine. He was charged with weapons offenses, eluding, resisting arrest, possession of high capacity magazine, certain persons not to have weapons, and motor vehicle violations.
Thomas was pulled over in a vehicle on Broadway and East 18th Street at around 1:50 a.m. on Sunday. His vehicle had 8 baggies of marijuana, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun, and a high capacity magazine, police said.
Thomas was charged with weapons offenses, drug possession, high capacity magazine possession, certain persons not to have weapons, and motor vehicle violations.
King and Thomas are being held at the Passaic County Jail pending court hearings.