The 22-year-old suspect fled from Belleville, New Jersey to New Britain, Connecticut, where he was found near his mother's home. Charles Watson reports for NBC4.

A suspect wanted in New Jersey for running down a police officer during a Sunday night traffic stop has been arrested nearly 100 miles away in Connecticut.

Connecticut State Police said early Monday morning that the driver accused of hitting a Belleville officer during a traffic stop the night before had been located around 2 a.m. Troopers reportedly tracked down the suspect's car in New Britain and took the driver into custody overnight.

The situation unfolded Sunday around 8 p.m., when two police officers tried to engage the driver during a traffic stop near Branch Brook Park in New Jersey.

Belleville Mayor Frank Vélez said one of the officers opened fire after the other was struck during a traffic stop near Branch Brook Park.

"According to preliminary information, a Belleville police officer was struck by a vehicle while attempting to apprehend a fleeing suspect. An officer subsequently discharged their firearm, and the suspect fled the scene," Vélez wrote on Facebook.

The injuries to the officer struck by the driver were not believed to be life-threatening, the mayor added.

The mayor's statement followed a night of chaos and confusion as a large police presence built up near the park, in the area of Mill Street and Union Avenue.

A man at the scene said his friend was in the area and reported seeing an officer struck by a vehicle before guns were drawn and shots were allegedly fired, offering a similar description as the mayor.

“So my best friend texted me, and he was on his way to go watch the football game," said David Vazquez of Newark. "He saw one of the police officers get ran over by a car, and then he said, 'Here, like some shots go off,' and then those those shots struck the back of his car, smashed his windows, and you know that's pretty nuts."

Police have not yet released the identity of the suspect.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC New York. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC New York journalist edited the article for publication.