Long Branch Police Officer Pleads Guilty In Pedestrian Death

LONG BRANCH, NJ - Long Branch police officer Jake Pascucci will spend a year in jail and lose his job in connection with the pedestrian death of a Stanhope woman back in September of 2017, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey.

Jake Pascucci, 28, Long Branch, pleaded guilty to third-degree strict liability vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated in the death of Karen Borkowski, 66, of Stanhope, on Sept. 22, 2017 in Long Branch, according to the Prosecutor's Office.

Borkowski was crossing Ocean Boulevard at the intersection with Broadway in Long Branch around 8:15 p.m. that night when she was struck by Pascucci's 2016 Jeep Cherokee, according to authorities.

Pascucci told police he had a green light and that Borkowski was jaywalking, according to dashboard camera video from police at the scene, obtained by NJ Advance Media through the state's Open Public Records Act (OPRA).

Borkowski was pronounced dead at the scene after the crash. Pascucci's Jeep had severe front end damage from the accident, according to previous reports.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office handled the case because of a conflict Pascucci has with the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Pascucci was previously charged with reckless driving and careless driving in addition to the DUI and vehicular homicide charges.

Pascucci will be sentenced to 364 days in county jail as a condition of the probation he will serve upon his release and will lose his job with the police department, according to the plea agreement reached with Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor Keith Abrams.

He is scheduled to be sentenced in New Brunswick by Superior Court Judge Michael A. Toto on June 28.

The Long Branch officer was charged after an investigation by Detective Donald Heck of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Photo: Courtesy of Long Branch Police Department