Jackson Man's Death During Howell Arrest Investigated: Prosecutor

HOWELL, NJ — Authorities are trying to determine what caused the death of a Jackson Township man Saturday as Howell Township police were in the midst of arresting him in connection with a stolen vehicle, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said Tuesday.

Derek Boyle, 43, of Jackson, was pronounced dead at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus, formerly Kimball Medical Center, in Lakewood at 1:47 p.m. on Saturday, Gramiccioni said, about an hour and 15 minutes after Howell police responded to a 911 call in the area of Church Road and Tioga Drive, he said.

A caller reported seeing a man standing outside a vehicle and acting erratically, the prosecutor's office said. Howell police and the Howell Township Volunteer First Aid Squad both responded to the 12:32 p.m. call and found the man, later identified as Boyle, standing outside the vehicle, Gramiccioni said.

Police learned the vehicle had been reported stolen in Jackson, and also found Boyle had additional arrest warrants, Gramiccioni said.

While they were still at the scene at Church Road and Tioga Drive, Boyle’s condition began to deteriorate, Gramiccioni said. Emergency medical personnel treated Boyle with naloxone, a heroin overdose antidote, and took him to Kimball, but they were unable to revive him.

Howell police contacted the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office to alert them of Boyle’s death, Gramiccioni said. An investigation was immediately launched and determined that no physical force was used at any time on Boyle while he was in custody, the prosecutor said.

"I am confident the actions, supported by video evidence, taken by my officers are consistent with the professional and high standards of conduct and performance they display every day," Howell Police Chief Andrew J. Kudrick Jr. said.

The cause and manner of death remain pending the results of an autopsy conducted on Sunday by the Middlesex County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.

The joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Howell Township Police Department is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Ryu Washburne of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443 or Lieutenant Yurgel of the Howell Township Police Department at 732-620-4280.

Those with information who wish to remain anonymous can contact the Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential telephone tip-line by calling 1-800-671-4400; can text “MONMOUTH” plus their tip to 274637; or, they can email a tip via the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com.

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