NJ Cop Badly Injured In Drunken Car Crash, Police Say

MIDDLE TWP., NJ — A Middle Township police officer was seriously injured after being struck by a suspected drunken driver while conducting a motor vehicle stop, authorities said.

Patrolman Austin Kapurelos, 26, was in serious but stable condition as of Saturday afternoon, Middle Township police said.

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Kapurelos had pulled someone over on Route 47 South when he was struck by the vehicle shortly after 10 p.m. Friday, police said.

Kapurelos was immediately given aid and was taken to AtlantiCare Medical Center.

The driver, 36-year-old Lucio Lopez-Perez, of Erma, remained at the scene and was taken into custody for suspected impaired driving, police said. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, assault by auto and violation of public health and safety law resulting in serious bodily injury, along with multiple other traffic offenses.

Lopez-Perez was lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Facility on a warrant.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew said that Lopez-Perez is in the country illegally.

"I know Austin and his family personally, and they are good, hardworking South Jersey people. Austin is a fine young man who proudly serves his community and his country, and now he is lying in a hospital bed with serious injuries after being hit by a drunk driver who was in this country illegally," Van Drew said.

Van Drew called on local authorities to work with ICE and turn over Lopez-Perez to the federal authorities.

"We cannot keep allowing preventable tragedies like this to happen to innocent people in New Jersey," Van Drew said.

"If this man hadn't been here illegally, Austin would be sitting on the couch with his wife in their new home right now, not lying in a hospital bed," said Tony Kapurelos, Kapurelos's father. "They just got married. They have their whole lives ahead of them, and instead of enjoying this time together, Austin is recovering from surgery, and we're all praying he'll be okay."

In the past month, five New Jersey police officers have been injured by impaired or reckless drivers, according to the New Jersey State PBA.

"We have a problem in New Jersey. Too many drivers are impaired, too many drivers do not MOVE OVER, and too many drivers are careless when they are driving. The end result is our officers are being struck and critically injured more now than ever before. The number of crashes in the past month points to a growing problem. Officers are in danger daily and it must stop," NJ State PBA President Peter Andreyev said.

"The charges in this case should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of New Jersey law, and the federal detainer should be honored so this individual is turned over to ICE when the state is done with him," said Middle Township Mayor Christopher M. Leusner. "There should be no limitations on cooperation when it comes to keeping dangerous drivers off our roads."