A truck driver who veered off the road and crashed into an unmarked police car will not face vehicular homicide charges for the officer’s death.
According to CBS New York, a grand jury decided against indicting the driver for the 2014 accident that took place in Waldwick, New Jersey.
On July 17th, 2014, 32-year-old Waldwick police officer Christopher Goodell was operating a speed radar on the shoulder of Rte. 17 in an unmarked vehicle, when a semi truck driven by Ryon Cumberbatch veered off the road and crashed into his police cruiser around 1:30 a.m. The impact knocked Goodell’s vehicle into a wall, killing him instantly.
Cumberbatch was not inured in the crash and immediately called 911. He was arrested on charges of vehicular homicide and released after posting $25,000 bond.
Cumberbatch, who worked for J.B. Hunt Transportation at the time of the crash, told his wife that it was an accident. “It was dark. He didn’t see the guy,” she said in an interview.
On Tuesday, a grand jury decided there was not enough evidence to prove the driver’s guilt and chose not to indict him on the vehicular homicide charge.
Cumberbatch will be back in municipal court at a later date to face charges of Reckless Driving & Failure to Maintain a Proper Lane.
