NJ City Councilman Tried To Intimidate Tow Driver With Gun: Prosecutor

ORANGE, NJ — A city council member in Orange was arrested this week in connection with a dispute he had with a tow truck driver last year, prosecutors announced Thursday.

Kerry Coley, who represents the city’s East Ward, has been accused of trying to intimidate a tow truck driver by displaying a firearm during an encounter in the city last October.

The driver was in the process of towing a vehicle owned by Coley's relative at the time of the incident, according to a statement from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Orange Police Department.

Coley voluntarily surrendered at police headquarters on Monday. He was held overnight at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark and released on Tuesday.

As a condition of his release, Coley has been ordered to have no contact with the victim, and is prohibited from possessing any weapons, prosecutors said.

An investigation into the incident continues, authorities said. Anyone with information can contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

According to the municipal website, Coley is a U.S. Army veteran who later served with the Orange Police Department. His term expires in June 2026.

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