New Jersey AG investigating after suspect dies in crash during police pursuit

NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – New Jersey prosecutors are investigating a multi-car crash that occurred during a police chase on Tuesday, which resulted in the death of the man being pursued by police.

Bloomfield police received an Automated License Plate Recognition notification alerting them to the presence of a "vehicle of interest" in a pending robbery investigation. Police were able to locate the car and tried to pull the driver over. The driver refused and a chase began in Newark and went on until East Orange. There, the pursued car crashed into a civilian car and then careened into two other cars, including a parked ambulance, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors reported that the driver of the pursued car died from injuries sustained in the crash. The driver's identity has not been disclosed.

All other individuals sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Prosecutors noted that the police cars involved in the pursuit were not directly involved in the collisions. According to a 2019 law in New Jersey, the AGO is required to conduct investigations into any death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in their official capacity or while the individual is in custody.

An investigation is ongoing.