January 01, 2016
Charges will not be filed against a New Jersey police officer who struck and killed a young man with his car over the summer, prosecutors announced Thursday.
Authorities say there are no grounds to file charges against Lacey Township Police officer Andrew Slota, who hit 24-year-old Neil Van De Putte of Toms River.
The incident occurred July 5 around 3 a.m. when Slota was responding to a report of a disturbance near the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station.
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, Slota was driving at a high rate of speed and did not activate his emergency lights or siren but did have his headlights on while travelling down Lacey Road.
Van De Putte, who authorities say was intoxicated at the time, was crossing the roadway on foot when Slota hit him despite attempts to avoid him.
Van De Putte died from his injuries.
A report from Toms River police in September, acquired by NJ.com, said that Slota's speedometer was stuck at 59 mph after the crash. The speed limit on the road is 45 mph.
Van De Putte's mother, Yvonne Yaar-Sharkey, told investigators that Slota was driving at 80 mph when he hit her son.
The Asbury Park Press reports that Yaar-Sharkey was disappointed by the decision not to bring charges against Slota, saying police should be held accountable for reckless behavior.
Prosecutors say the Lacey Township Police Chief David Paprota may conduct his own internal review of the incident to look for possible departmental violations.
