Man allegedly pulled gun on mother of his child near Newark park

Officers seized a loaded handgun, sheriff says

NEWARK -- An Orange man was arrested after he allegedly threatened the mother of his child at gunpoint near West Side Park, authorities said Tuesday.

A woman flagged down Essex County Sheriff's Office patrol officers Monday night on 17th Avenue and reported that she was just threatened by an armed suspect, according to Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

Brian Wolfe, 29, reportedly pulled up in the passenger's seat of a Kia van and brandished a handgun while threatening to harm the woman, Fontoura said in a statement. Sheriff's officers stopped the van minutes later near Springfield Avenue and South 12th Street.

Officers smelled marijuana coming from the van and spotted a loaded .38 caliber Rossi revolver between the front passenger seat and the center console of the vehicle, the sheriff added. Wolfe was also found with a zip-lock bag of marijuana, authorities said.

Wolfe was ordered held at the Essex County jail in lieu of $100,000 on charges, including unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and possession of illegal hollow point ammunition, according to authorities. He was also issued summonses for the drugs. Fontoura said the van driver was released without charges.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.