No Charges For Mercer Cops In Fatal Chase Crash That Killed Juvenile

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — A state grand jury has voted not to file criminal charges against Ewing police officers involved in a December pursuit that ended in a crash killing a juvenile passenger, the state Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) said.

The grand jury finished deliberating on Tuesday and voted "no bill," concluding that no criminal charges should be filed against any of the officers involved, according to OPIA. The case was investigated under the state's Independent Prosecutor Directive of 2019, which requires the Attorney General's Office to investigate deaths that occur during encounters with law enforcement.

According to the investigation, Ewing police officers responded to a 911 call around 6:24 p.m. on Dec. 19, 2025, reporting the theft of a white Kia in the area of Clover Avenue. Officer Edward Lester, in a marked police vehicle, spotted a car matching the Kia's description and followed it before activating his emergency lights and sirens near Coolidge and Pennington avenues. The Kia did not stop.

Officers Charles Wyckoff and Jason Ulrich joined the pursuit in separate marked vehicles with emergency lights activated. The Kia continued driving erratically at high speed and ran a red light at the intersection of Prospect Street and Parkway Avenue while heading north on Prospect Street, according to the investigation.

The Kia crashed with an uninvolved civilian vehicle, a red Subaru traveling eastbound on Parkway Avenue with four occupants inside. A juvenile passenger in the Subaru was ejected and later died from injuries sustained in the crash, according to police. The Subaru's other occupants were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, as was the driver of the Kia.

The Kia then crashed into a traffic signal pole at the intersection, causing it to fall on top of the Kia and Lester's police vehicle. Lester was also treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation included officer and witness interviews, motor-vehicle recorder and third-party surveillance footage, photographs, and autopsy results from a medical examiner, all of which were presented to the grand jury.

The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office is handling the court matter involving the juveniles who were in the Kia.

OPIA said it will now determine whether any officer should be referred for administrative review under the Attorney General's Internal Affairs Policy and Procedures, and will monitor that review to ensure it is completed in a timely manner.

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