New Jersey Officer Faces 25 Years In Prison For Drunk Driving

A New Jersey police officer has pleaded “not guilty” in a case where he is accused of killing two friends as he allegedly drove drunk in March 2015. According to the Sept. 21 story, the man has said he is not guilty of the charges, which include vehicular manslaughter and aggravated vehicular homicide.

The day of the accident, the officer was driving his 2005 Honda Civic with three passengers inside. The passengers and driver went to a strip club, according to the report, which is around the time when the officer posted images on Instagram of whiskey shots. Just a few hours later at 4:50 a.m., the officer got into the vehicle and headed the wrong way down the West Shore Expressway; he had gone north in a southbound lane.

After he entered the highway, a semi and car both had to swerve out of his way. Then, he struck another tractor-trailer that could not get out of the way in time. Another officer who was a passenger in the vehicle, a 28-year-old man, was killed. A second passenger, also 28, was also killed. A third officer, a 23-year-old man, was hospitalized following the accident but was later released.

At the time of the accident, the officer’s blood alcohol level was around three times the legal limit, the report claims. The police officer has been charged with 27 counts including vehicular assault, first-degree murder and aggravated vehicular homicide. These charges could lead to up to 25 years in prison for the officer if he’s convicted.

Wrongful death cases like these can be hard for families, and if you’re going through the same thing, you may be considering making a claim as well. Your attorney can help you decide if a claim is the right decision for your situation.

Source: The New York Times, “New Jersey Officer Pleads Not Guilty in Fatal Wrong-Way Crash on Staten Island,” Nate Schweber, Sep. 21, 2015