Crime & Safety

Accused Burglar Assaulted Cops After Chase, Police Say

Sparta man also facing robbery, theft charges out of Bergen County.

An accused burglar is facing additional criminal charges after Sparta police said he assaulted officers after a road chase through the township.

Mark A. Cordero, 24, of Sparta was arrested Tuesday after police said he drove recklessly through the township and resisted officers attempts to take him into custody, Sgt. John-Paul Beebe said. The arrest comes just five days after he was charged with burglarizing a Whispering Woods Lane home while a mother and three children were present.

Police responded to a 911 call at 1:45 a.m. Tuesday that requested help in dealing with Cordero, who had left home "highly agitated" and threatening suicide, Beebe said. 

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Cordero, who police say has ties to the Bloods street gang, was spotted traveling on Houses Corner Road a short time later. Officer Craig Grauerholz pursued his black 2012 Infiniti, but Cordero would not pull over, Beebe said.

The pursuit ended after 2.5 miles in the parking lot of the Sparta Evangelical Free Church. Cordero was ordered out of his vehicle at gunpoint but refused the officers' commands once out of the car, challenging them to shoot him, Beebe said. Police attempted to take him into custody, but he "resisted violently, throwing punches and kicking."

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Cordero suffered facial abrasions and contusions and was treated at Newtown Medical Center.

He was charged with eluding a law enforcement officer; two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer; resisting arrest; and disorderly conduct. Cordero additionally was charged with reckless driving, speeding, improper passing, failure to keep right, failure to maintain a single lane of travel and several documentation violations, Beebe said.

Cordero is being held on $37,500 bail, no 10 percent option.

The Sparta man recently made $10,000 bail on the local burglarly charge. He also is facing trial for a March 15, 2012, arrest in Bergen County on charges of robbery, criminal restraint and theft. 


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