Crime & Safety
2 South Brunswick Patrol Cars Struck In 3 Weeks While On Car Stops
In one case the patrol SUV was totaled. Police remind motorists to move over or slow down when they see a cop car on the road.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — Two South Brunswick police officers were struck in the past three weeks while they were conducting motor stops the department said Friday.
On April 29, at 3:37 a.m., South Brunswick Officers Jorge Robles, Ben Salihi, and Sgt Jesse Blake were already on a car stop for an impaired driver on Route 130 near Viking Way. As they were evaluating the driver with a field sobriety test, a second vehicle crashed into the police SUV at a high rate of speed, police said.
The driver of the second vehicle, Gonzalo Najera, 30, of Princeton was found to be driving while intoxicated and arrested. The patrol SUV was totaled in the crash. Najera was charged with multiple offenses including driving while under the influence, authorities said.
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On Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. on Route 130 near Broadway Road, Patrolman First Class Jason Gassman was conducting a motor vehicle stop with his emergency lights activated. While the officer was speaking to the driver of his traffic stop, a Grey Honda Odyssey minivan side-swiped the police SUV damaging its driver’s side. The driver continued northbound without stopping. South Brunswick Police Traffic Safety Bureau is still investigating the hit-n-run, authorities said.
The police department is now asking motorists to be aware and move over while police are conducting motor vehicle stops.
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“In the past three weeks, we have had two patrol officers SUVs struck while conducting motor vehicle stops. We are lucky that in both cases no officers were injured, but one police car was totaled,” Chief Raymond Hayducka said.
“It is dangerous to be stopping vehicles on the highways sometimes only feet from trucks and cars going 55 mph. We need drivers help at moving over or reducing their speed when they see a police car with its lights on.”
Hayducka said these two incidents highlight the dangers officers face every day.
“If PFC Gassman had been on the driver’s side yesterday, this would be a much different story,” Hayducka said.
New Jersey law is clear on the requirements to move over or slow down as you approach an emergency vehicle operating in the roadway.
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