Officer expected to survive after serious injuries, public safety director says
NEWARK -- A Newark police officer suffered serious injuries when he was struck and dragged by a car that fled the scene early Sunday, authorities said.
The 37-year-old officer, who was listed in stable condition Sunday night, was attempting to issue a traffic summons to a vehicle around 3:40 a.m. near Foundry and Roanoke streets when that vehicle hit him, according to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.
The officer, a 14-year veteran of the force, was expected to survive, Ambrose said earlier on Sunday. Authorities did not release the officer's name, citing safety reasons.
No arrests have been made and the investigation was ongoing, according to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly, of the prosecutor's Major Crimes Unit. Preliminary reports from the prosecutor's office first said a second vehicle hit the officer, but the agency corrected that account in a statement issued later.
"A police officer was almost killed this morning because a driver didn't want to get a ticket, choosing to flee and drag the officer 80 yards down the street," said Newark Fraternal Order of Police President James Stewart Jr. "He is surrounded by family at the hospital and has a long road to recovery ahead of him."
More than 70 sworn in as Newark police officers, firefighters
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office and city police were investigating. Fennelly said more details were not immediately available Sunday night.
Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.