Police Officer Involved In Pedestrian Fatal Was Responding To Disturbance At Oyster Creek

by Patricia A. Miller

The Lacey Township police officer who struck and killed a pedestrian in the early morning hours on July 5 was responding to a report of a disturbance at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant, Police Chief David A. Paprota said.

Plant security officers reported the incident - which occurred along the fence of the south bridge in front of the plant on Route 9, he said.

“The security concern included a description that two males, who according to plant security appeared to be intoxicated, were being “violent” and had been attempting to cause damage to the fence,” Paprota said.

But Patrolman Andrew Slota never made it to Oyster Creek. His police cruiser struck and killed a Toms River man,

“Due to the accident on Lacey Road, officers were unable to continue to respond (to Oyster Creek) and the subjects reportedly left the area,” the chief said.

A preliminary investigation determined that Neil Van De Putte, 25, was crossing against the traffic signal at 3:25 a.m. in a northerly direction from the south side of Lacey Road at the Deerhead Lake Drive intersection when he was struck by Slota’s car, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office’s spokesman Al Della Fave.

Slota was traveling east on Lacey Road on his way to the call when his patrol car struck Van De Putt, Della Fave said.

“Witness information indicates Officer Slota initially took evasive action to avoid striking the pedestrian,” Della Fave said. ”However, Van De Putte was struck by the front passenger side of the patrol vehicle. After impact, Slota’s patrol vehicle struck a utility pole on the westbound side of the road coming to a final rest in the bank parking lot adjacent to the roadway.”

Since a Lacey officer was involved in the accident, the Ocean County Prosecutor‘s Major Crimes/Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, the Toms Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CSI are investigating the circumstances of the accident, Della Fave said.

Van De Putte was pronounced dead at the scene by Dr. Konomos from Newark Beth Israel at 3:47 am. Slota was taken to Community Medical Center, where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries. The investigation is ongoing, Della Fave said.