A New Jersey State Police trooper who allegedly caused a car accident in March along the Camden County Highway has been indicted for drunk driving.
The officer is accused of rear-ending an SUV while driving under the influence of alcohol. According to police reports, the officer was off duty and driving an unmarked police cruiser when the car accident occurred. He suffered six broken ribs and other injuries in the crash, for which he later pled not guilty to the charge of assault by auto in the fourth degree.
Now, the personal injury attorney representing the car accident victim is seeking an amendment to the lawsuit. The attorney has asked the court to add an allegation that the trooper attempted to cover up his identity by providing a false identification at the scene of the accident. According to officers at the scene, the suspect provided a name he used for undercover investigations for the state police.
According to the victim’s attorney, the officer’s provision of a false name created significant obstacles for his client and his attempts to seek reimbursement for the medical care that was necessary to treat the victim’s injuries suffered in the accident.
The state trooper’s lawyer, however, said that the trooper was using standard state procedure when giving the undercover information and was not attempting to cover up his alleged crime.
Because the suspect’s brother is the Camden County Sheriff, the case is being investigated by the prosecutor from Ocean County in order to prevent a conflict of interest.
If you or a family member has been injured in a car accident, please contact Breslin & Breslin for a free consultation.
Source: The Star-Ledger, “N.J. trooper indicted for 2009 drunk-driving crash,” Chris Megerian, Sept. 22, 2011
