Still No Answers In Pedestrian Death Involving Lacey Police Officer

The investigation into a July 5 fatal accident involving a Lacey Township police cruiser and a pedestrian is continuing, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office says.

Neil Van De Putte, 25, of Toms River, died when he was struck by a police car driven by Patrolman Andrew Slota at 3:25 a.m. Van De Putte was crossing against the traffic signal in a northerly direction fro the south side of Lacey road at the Deerhead Lake Drive intersection when he was struck, spokesman Al Della Fave have said.

Slota was traveling east on Lacey Road on his way to the call when his patrol car struck Van De Putt. He was responding to a report of a disturbance at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant, Police Chief David A. Paprota has 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 has said said.

Witness information indicated that Slota initially took evasive action to avoid striking Van De Putte, Della Fave has said.

”However, Van De Putte was struck by the front passenger side of the patrol vehicle,“ he said. “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.