Ocean County Prosecutor Dismisses Charge Against Photographer At Lacey Crash Scene

by Patricia A. Miller

It was a harried and traumatic time for members of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office the day they found one of their own badly injured in a one-car crash on Dover Road in the Bamber Lakes section of Lacey Township.

Scott Stevens suffered severe head injuries in the Jan. 8 crash. Also on the scene was Andrew Flinchbaugh, a photographer for the online site Lacey Reporter, who filmed as Stevens was being airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. Stevens died on Jan. 22.

Law enforcement authorities confronted Flinchbaugh, demanded his camera and charged him with obstructing the administration of the law.

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced today that charges against Flinchbaugh have been dropped and the case is closed.

“There are many situations which would lead to an arrest for an obstructing charge,” Coronato said. “The events of that day were unusual and due to the possibility of future litigation, I cannot cite those specifics. I can simply state, as I indicated on an earlier occasion, that all parties could have handled the situation differently. I have chosen to not exacerbate the situation, and have taken actions that will serve to improve my staffs’ understanding of on-scene media protocols.”

Although the charges were dropped and the camera returned, Coronato seemed to imply in his statement that Flinchbaugh played a part in his arrest.

“Upon further review, I have found that there were other extenuating circumstances beyond the issue of the camera concerning the behavior of Mr. Flinchbaugh which contributed directly to the actions taken by authorities at the scene,” the prosecutor said.

Coronato said his office acted ”most expeditiously” in the confiscation and subsequent return of the video camera.

“I pledge to foster proactive positive interactions with the media and continued protection of the constitutional rights of all citizens,” he said.

A section of Dover Road was closed to traffic for hours after the accident.