Fatal Old Bridge Car Crash Involved Marlboro Police Chase: Authorities

MARLBORO, NJ — A fatal car crash on Route 9 in Old Bridge early Wednesday morning involved a Marlboro Township police chase during a car theft, the New Jersey Attorney General's office said Wednesday.

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced his office is investigating the fiery crash that took place around 2 a.m. Wednesday on Route 9 near Spring Valley Road in Old Bridge.

State law requires the Attorney General’s Office to conduct investigations of a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody, the office said in a news statement.

The crash happened on Wednesday "after one Marlboro police officer attempted to stop the vehicle in connection with a criminal investigation of an attempted car theft from a house in Marlboro," the office said.

The car being pursued struck unrelated private vehicles, resulting in one occupant’s death and injury to three other vehicle occupants, the office said.

The identities of the person who died and the other individuals are not being released at this time, authorities said.

According to the preliminary investigation, the crash occurred near the intersection of Spring Valley Road and Route 9 South in Old Bridge shortly after 2:14 a.m., the office said.

Rout 9 was closed in the area for hours.

State law requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer or officers involved, the attorney's general's office said.

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.

Communities like Marlboro, Holmdel and others have been experiencing many car thefts or attempted car thefts, and some have resulted in suspects speeding away on local roads or on the Garden State Parkway. In most cases, the pursuits have not been continued.