Morris Worker Who Took County Vehicles for Personal Use Gets Probation

A Phillipsburg woman will undergo two years of pretrial intervention, a form of probation, for using Morris County-owned vehicles for her personal use outside of work hours.

According to nj.com, Hope Hezel, 45, the former director of special transportation services for the county, will take part in the program which requires no admission of guilt.

Hezel was originally charged with unlawful taking of a means of conveyance for allegedly taking three different cars home from work between Jan. 2010 and Dec. 2012. Before resigning her post, Hezel was earning $64,188 annually, the report said.

Hezel agreed to also forfeit all future public employment, the report said.

Morris County Prosecutor Knapp announced in April that Hezel used the vehicles to travel to personal events, including her child’s soccer tournament in Pennsylvania, and was accused of trying to conceal the Morris County decal on the vehicles when in use.