Local law enforcement agencies in Essex County immediately contact the Prosecutor's Office whenever a vehicle incident occurs involving a fatality or serious bodily injury. Whenever possible, the Prosecutor's Office dispatches members of the Vehicular Homicide Unit to the scene, as to cooperate with local law enforcement to secure and preserve the immediate scene to prevent loss of evidence and to facilitate a thorough investigation. The Vehicular Homicide Unit then works closely with local law enforcement to analyze the circumstances, determine potential criminal liability for those involved, and prepare appropriate cases for presentation to the Grand Jury and further prosecution. The Vehicular Homicide Unit generally remains involved with each case through final disposition.

2008 - 2009 Achievements:

During 2008, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office investigated 52 vehicular homicide and 49 serious bodily injury collisions. Assistant Prosecutors working with the Vehicular Homicide Unit presented 30 cases to the Grand Jury with 12 of those cases indicted. In 2008, 17 of the unit's cases were brought to a successful conclusion with the defendants either found guilty by trial or by a guilty plea in Superior Court. There were no "Not Guilty" verdicts for any vehicular cases in 2008. As a result of the Vehicular Homicide Unit's thorough and detail oriented collision investigation, criminal indictments of cases presented to the Grand Jury has increased from 37% to 40% in 2008.

In 2009, the Office investigated 46 Vehicular Homicide Cases and 52 Motor Vehicle Special Investigations involving serious bodily injury and resulting in criminal charges. Two Assistant Prosecutors who work extensively with the Vehicular Homicide Unit presented 39 cases to the Grand Jury, and 14 of those cases resulted in indictment. In 2009, nine of the Vehicular Homicides cases were brought to a successful conclusion with either a guilty verdict by trial or plea.

Significant Cases:

State v. William Rodriguez - On March 3rd, 2007, Newark Police Sgt. Tommaso Poplizio responded with other officers to a report of drag-racing along Doremus Avenue in Newark. Arrested at the scene was William Rodriguez, 22, of Cranbury, NJ. Rodriguez slipped his handcuffs and attempted to flee the scene in a Newark Police cruiser. During the attempt, Rodriguez crashed the stolen police cruiser into Sgt. Poplizio's police cruiser causing his death. On February 11, 2009, Rodriguez was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison with no parole.

State v. Natasha White - On April 9, 2007, White confronted her ex-boyfriend Zachary Sanders as he stood outside the Rubicon Pub. White used her car as a weapon by aiming it directly at Sanders and hit the accelerator, striking him and dragging his body several feet down the street. Sanders was pronounced dead at the scene. After a three-week trial and eight hours of deliberations, the jury convicted White on 10 counts, including murder, vehicular homicide, and aggravated assault. Natasha White was sentenced on March 24, 2009 to 40 years in prison.