No Charge For Mercer Officer Involved In Crash That Killed Scooter Rider: AG

MERCER COUNTY, NJ – A grand jury has ruled that a Hamilton police officer will not be charged in connection with a pursuit crash that killed a 21-year-old Trenton man, the NJ Attorney General’s Office announced Wednesday.

Francis Delacruz Abad, 21, who driving a scooter when Det. Brian Davis tried stopping him on May 25, 2021. Abad drove away from Davis when he collided with a third-party vehicle, authorities said. He died of his injuries two days later.

Abad’s death was investigated by the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) and presented to New Jersey residents serving on the grand jury in accordance with the Independent Prosecutor Directive of 2019.

According to the investigation, the crash occurred just after 9 p.m. on May 25, 2021 near the intersection of Route 33 and Whitehorse-Mercerville Road. Davis was in an unmarked police vehicle when he attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop, authorities said.

Abad did not stop, instead continued traveling westbound on Route 33 and collided with a Dodge Caravan, whose driver was attempting to turn left into the Mercerville Shopping Center from Route 33 eastbound, police said.

Abad was thrown from the scooter and struck the windshield of the van. He was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he died at around 3 p.m. on May 27.

Authorities conducted an investigation into Abad’s death. And based on evidence and testimony, the grand jury voted “no bill” on Monday, meaning they concluded no criminal charges should be filed against Davis.

The Attorney General’s Office is required to investigate a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer.

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