Defendant allegedly tossed the gun out the driver's side window during the chase.
Donte Dowdell (Somerset County Prosecutor's Office)FRANKLIN -- A township man was arrested and charged with second-degree possession of a loaded gun after allegedly leading police on a car chase and tossing the gun out of the window.
Donte Dowdell, 20, of Voorhees Avenue in the Somerset section of the township, was also charged with second-degree eluding.
On Monday, members of the county's Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force received a tip that a man, later identified as Dowdell, would be driving a red Chrysler Sebring in the area of Mark Street and would be in possession of a .32 caliber handgun, according to a press release issued by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office.
At approximately 4:25 p.m., detectives spotted the vehicle on Mark Street. Detectives tried to pull the vehicle over, but Dowdell allegedly sped up and attempted to elude police, authorities said.
When the pursue reached Victor Street, detectives reported seeing Dowdell toss a white plastic bag out of the driver's side window. He then continued driving until he hit a parked van and an unmarked police vehicle, authorities said.
Dowdell was taken into custody at 4:36 p.m. at the intersection of Lewis Street and Norma Avenue, authorities said.
Detectives doubled back to recover the white plastic bag on Victor Street that Dowdell threw out the window and discovered it contained a loaded .32 Caliber handgun and nine additional rounds, authorities said.
Dowdell is being held in the Somerset County Jail on $100,000 cash-only bail.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
