Police car, van collide, officer is ticketed

[Buttercup]

Seaside officer cited for improper turn
Posted by the Ocean County Observer on 08/21/07

BY KEITH RUSCITTI
STAFF WRITER

TOMS RIVER — The normally routine procedure of transferring a prisoner from Seaside Heights to Ocean County Jail proved to be anything but yesterday afternoon.
A Seaside Heights patrol car transporting a prisoner was involved in a two-car collision that resulted in two minor injuries and a summons for the officer driving the car, according to Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronary.
The crash occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of Route 37 and Hooper Avenue in Toms River.
A Seaside Heights police vehicle driven by Officer Michael Scarpa, 23, was taking John Campbell, 58, to be detained at Ocean County Jail on a warrant from Atlantic County.
The police car tried to make an illegal left turn from a Route 37 westbound lane onto Hooper, according to police.
That intersection requires left turns be made through a jughandle.
As he initiated the left turn, Scarpa activated his marked unit lights and attempted to turn into a southbound lane of Hooper Avenue.
Thomas Goodwin, 67, of Berkeley was driving a Toyota van east on Route 37 as the patrol car attempted to turn onto Hooper Avenue. The van and the police car collided, according to Mastronardy.
Toms River Police EMS transported Scarpa and Campbell to Community Medical Center, where they were treated and released for minor injuries.
Toms River Traffic Safety Sgt. Guy Murray issued a summons to Scarpa for an improper turn at the intersection.
Toms River Officers Chris Anderson and Sean McHugh are overseeing the investigation.

[jmur5074]

hm....he had his overhead emergency lights on....and got a ticket?

[Buttercup]

I thought that was highly unusual, to say the least.

[Motorwaycop]

Putting on emergency lights, (Over here certainly) doesn't exempt you from driving without proper care, especially if you are contravening a No left turn etc.
Sometimes if another vehicle is involved it is a case of the officer attending having to be seen to be acting impartially.
It sucks to have to ticket or report another officer but sometimes you can't do anything else. Well at that stage anyway!

[Willowdared]

hm....he had his overhead emergency lights on....and got a ticket?

But, he was transporting a prisoner, not responding to an emergency.

[Jks9199]

Sadly... I see two problems.

First, he missed his turn. No biggie... But that led to the problems:

He activated his lights to fix the missed turn, not respond to an emergency or stop a car. Problem... Then he didn't make sure that the traffic stopped or the way was clear... Problem.

But, citing him wasn't necessary. I'd suspect the IA will hammer him more than a ticket...

[Star Man]

Sadly... I see two problems.

First, he missed his turn. No biggie... But that led to the problems:

He activated his lights to fix the missed turn, not respond to an emergency or stop a car. Problem... Then he didn't make sure that the traffic stopped or the way was clear... Problem.

But, citing him wasn't necessary. I'd suspect the IA will hammer him more than a ticket...

Sounds like double jeopardy. Either a ticket or IA, but it should not be both (unless the IA was for the improper use of the lights and not the turn itself).