South Jersey police officer charged over hit-and-run accident in Gloucester Township

GLOUCESTER TWP. — An off-duty police officer critically injured a teenager in a hit-and-run accident here last month, authorities say.

Christopher Bucceroni, 28, was driving his personal vehicle when he struck an 18-year-old bicyclist on Erial Road around 2:25 a.m. on June 20, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Bucceroni, a West Deptford resident, is a nine-year veteran of Gloucester Township's police department.

Surveillance video of the accident scene showed a dark 2019-2022 Toyota Rav 4. according to a probable cause statement for Bucceroni's arrest.

It says Bucceroni went to the police department one day after the accident "with the vehicle which was involved in the crash."

His SUV had moderate damage to its front end and driver's side, "consistent with the evidence collected from the scene," it said.

Bucceroni said "he struck a deer causing damage to the vehicle," the statement added.

Bucceroni never stopped at the accident scene, where the bicyclist was found in the roadway near Blackwood-Clementon Road, according to the prosecutor's office.

He was charged on July 2 with a third-degree offense, knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in serious bodily injury.

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The bicyclist, identified only as a township resident, remains hospitalized in critical condition with head injuries.

Bucceroni has been suspended without pay, with the intent to dismiss, Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins said in a statement.

"I can assure the community that we are disappointed, and that this type of conduct is not tolerated by me, or anyone else here," the chief said.

He asked the public not to judge members of the police department "by the off-duty actions of this one officer."

Harkins said township officers worked "diligently throughout the next day [after the accident], attempting to identify the suspect vehicle and driver."

The case was turned over to the prosecutor's office after Bucceroni surrendered his 2020 Toyota Rav 4 on June 21.

An investigation is ongoing, the prosecutor's office said.

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call Prosecutor’s Detectives Samuel Funches at 856-397-4000 and Stephen Marakowski at 856-225-2788.

Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@cpsj.com.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: South Jersey police officer charged over hit-and-run accident in Gloucester Township