East Brunswick Mayor Defends Police's Actions After Fatal Crash

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen defended his police department's response after Middlesex County prosecutor Andrew Carey accused East Brunswick PD of failing to properly notify him of a fatal crash Sunday night, where a South River couple was killed by an East Brunswick fire department vehicle racing — with its lights and sirens on — to get to a 911 call.

Cohen said the couple was still alive when they were taken to the hospital, and expected to survive the crash; however, they died hours later at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

The fatal crash involved an elderly couple in their 80s, from South River. They were making a left hand turn onto Old Bridge Turnpike near Gunia Street when they were struck by an SUV from the East Brunswick fire department. That SUV was driven by a volunteer East Brunswick firefighter, who was responding to a 911 call of a gas leak in the Winding Woods apartment complex in Sayreville, said Mayor Cohen.

"He had his lights on and siren going, and he was headed southbound on Old Bridge Turnpike," said Cohen. "It is my understanding this couple was making a left turn onto Old Bridge Turnpike. How or why they pulled out into the intersection — whether they did not hear, were distracted — I have no idea and that is under investigation."

The collision occurred at 7:30 p.m. Sunday evening, August 11. East Brunswick police were called to the scene, and the couple was expected to survive by the time they were taken by ambulance to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, said Cohen.

"The couple was alive and coherent and able to answer questions. They were expected to survive," said Cohen, speaking to Patch over the phone Monday afternoon. "There was no death until they were at the hospital."

Cohen said it his understanding the elderly man and woman died at Robert Wood at roughly 10:30 p.m. Sunday. East Brunswick police were not notified of their deaths until 12:30 a.m., he said. At that point, East Brunswick immediately contacted the office of Prosecutor Carey.

Cohen said it is his understanding that municipalities do not by law have to contact the county prosecutor when a crash occurs involving a police, fire or other municipal vehicle. They do have to contact the county when a crash turns fatal, however.

Even though he has less than a month left on the job, Carey appears to continue to take his aggressive, no-holds-barred stance towards investigating local law enforcement accused of impropriety. During his tenure as county prosecutor, Carey developed a well-earned reputation of playing no favorites.

His office released this harshly worded statement Monday morning:

"Mandatory timely notification of the event was not made by the East Brunswick police department to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s office, which is now examining the circumstances surrounding the crash."

"It came as a shock to us, this statement by the prosecutor," said Mayor Cohen. "If there is something that we did wrong, we will change it. But at the time of the accident there was no feeling or belief that we needed to contact them."

As Patch reported, Carey will leave his job as Middlesex County prosecutor in September. He was named to Middlesex County's top law enforcement job by Gov. Christie, and his appointment was not renewed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

As is protocol, a blood and alcohol test was performed by East Brunswick police on the volunteer firefighter.

An internal affairs unit of the East Brunswick police department has been tasked with reviewing East Brunswick's response to the incident, and must submit a report to the mayor and police chief within one week's time.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the couple killed last night on Old Bridge Turnpike," said Frank LoSacco , East Brunswick's new police chief, who only started on the job Aug. 1. "I realize there are some questions regarding what was known about the crash, and when notification was made to the Middlesex County prosecutor's office. I have directed the office of professional standards to review our internal handling of the crash, to identify any policy or procedure changes that may need to be addressed."

"I have given (them) one week to produce this report," LoSacco continued. "And I will ensure that any changes are made so that the Middlesex County prosecutor's office continues to receive the full cooperation of our agency."

"We don't believe the police in East Brunswick did anything improper and we are going to stand by that," said Cohen.

The names of the deceased are not being released until notification has been made to the family.

The investigation is active and is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Erik Larsen of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3263.