Video, Audio Released In Fatal Old Bridge Police Pursuit: AG

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — Video footage, as well as audio from a 9-1-1 call and from police radio transmissions, were released Friday in connection with a Nov. 9 crash that killed an unaffiliated civilian in Old Bridge during a police pursuit.

The driver of the car pursued by police was identified as Samuel Villar, 20, of Somerset, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office said in a statement.

Following an attempted vehicle stop at around 2: 14 a.m. in connection with an investigation of an attempted car theft from a residence in Marlboro, Villar’s vehicle struck unrelated civilian vehicles near the intersection of Spring Valley Road and Route 9 South in Old Bridge, resulting in the death of Arturo Tlapa Luna, 33, of Freehold, the AG’s office said.

Three other occupants in Luna’s vehicle were transported to a local hospital as a result of the crash. The officer involved in the pursuit has been identified as Marlboro Police Sgt. Greg Arrone.

The crash is under investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA). The recordings are being released pursuant to policies established by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office in 2019 that are designed to promote the "fair, impartial and transparent investigation of fatal police encounters," the AG's office said.

The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.

When the investigation is complete, the case will be presented to a grand jury to decide whether criminal charges will be filed.

The videos and audio can be found here.

EDITORS NOTE: Some viewers may find the videos disturbing.