Jonathan Garelick Chief of Staff | New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety
Jonathan Garelick Chief of Staff | New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety
The Attorney General's Office has released video footage and 911 calls related to a fatal car crash that occurred on May 27, 2024, in Franklin Borough, New Jersey. The incident involved Franklin Borough Police Sergeant William Grissom and Deanna D’Arco, a 19-year-old from Sussex.
The investigation is being conducted by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA). This release aligns with policies set by the Attorney General’s Office in 2019 to ensure fair and transparent investigations into fatal police encounters. Representatives of Ms. D’Arco’s family have already reviewed the recordings.
The crash happened at approximately 10:41 a.m. when Sgt. Grissom was driving southbound on Route 23 in a marked police vehicle. His vehicle collided with a black Honda Prelude exiting the ShopRite parking lot near Route 23 and Walsh Street. The Prelude emerged from behind vehicles in northbound traffic, leading to the collision. Sgt. Grissom reported the accident and provided medical assistance to those in the Honda.
Ms. D’Arco, who was sitting in the front passenger seat of the Honda, suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to Morristown Medical Center but was pronounced dead at 12:45 a.m. on May 29, 2024. Both Sgt. Grissom and the driver of the Honda were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Under N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107(a)(2), any death occurring during an encounter with law enforcement must be investigated by the Attorney General’s Office and presented to a grand jury to determine if charges should be filed against involved officers.
The investigation remains ongoing, with no additional information available at this time.
Further details about investigations into fatal police encounters under New Jersey's Independent Prosecutor Directive can be found on the Attorney General’s website.
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