Loss Of County Detective A 'Huge' Loss For Prosecutor's Office

by Patricia A. Miller

Ocean County Detective Scott Stevens could do it all.

He worked in a number of different areas during his almost 15 years with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, including white-collar crime, fraud, computer forensics and for the last five years as an undercover officer in the Special Operations Group. He was also a certified public accountant, which came in handy when pouring over financial records.

“When you look at that skill set, that’s very difficult to replace,” Detective Raymond Gardner said. ”People like that don’t come along everyday.”

Detectives normally don’t speak to the media, but Gardner had to, for Scott Stevens.

“I just wanted people to realize what a great guy he was,” Gardner said.

Stevens was on his way to a series of narcotics investigation meetings on Jan. 8. He was traveling on a remote stretch of Dover Road in the Bamber Lakes section of Lacey when his 2004 Honda inexplicably left the roadway and crashed into a tree.

The 44-year-old Stevens was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, with severe head injuries. He spent almost two weeks in critical condition, on life support. The Prosecutor’s Office wasn’t able to speak with him to find out what happened. Scott Stevens died early on Wednesday morning.

He leaves behind his wife Dawn, a Lacey Township police dispatcher, and his much-loved 10-year-old son.

“He really was a family person,” Gardner said. ”Loved his wife and his son, very close with his parents. This is going to be a very difficult time going forwards. He did everything with his son, fishing, hunting, youth football. He was an easygoing guy.”

Stevens‘ expertise in computer forensics and accounting was invaluable, said Detective Mark Malinowski, who worked with him for 14 years.

“He loved to try and figure out the puzzle,“ Malinowksi said.

Stevens’ colleagues are in shock over his death. It’s not the first time they’ve had to deal with the loss of a valued detective, he said.

“It’s like again?” Malinowski said.

Detective Tina Rambo died in a head-on collision on her way to work back in August of 2011.

So for now, his co-workers are concentrating on trying to help and comfort Stevens’ family, Malinowski said.

A viewing for Detective Stevens will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at St. Mary of the Pines Church on 1 Bishop Way. His funeral service will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 10:30 am. at the church. A lunch will be held after the service at the Lacey Elks Lodge, 900 Beach Boulevard in Forked River, said Al Della Fave, spokesperson for the Prosecutor’s Office.

Scott Stevens was raised in Lacey, Mayor Gary Quinn said at the Jan. 22 Township Committee meeting.

“Detective Scott Stevens as a local boy,” Quinn said. ”He was an outstanding individual. It has a devastating effect not only on the family, but on the community itself. It’s going to be a very difficult time Dawn is a Lacey Township police dispatcher. Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.

“Tragic, tragic, tragic,” Township Committeeman Mark Dykoff said. ”It just goes to show you how quickly life can change.”