Newark sergeant charged with manslaughter, DWI after fatally hitting fellow

The Newark police sergeant who fatally struck a fellow cop directing traffic outside the Prudential Center last month is accused of being drunk and driving double the speed limit when he killed Newark Traffic Control Officer Jairo Rodriguez.

Victor M. Ortiz III has been charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter and second-degree vehicular homicide in connection with the death of his 53-year-old colleague, according to NJ.com. Ortiz also faces multiple traffic summonses, including one for DWI.

His attorney told ABC News that Ortiz stopped after the deadly “accident,” followed the instructions of police on the scene and bears “no criminal culpability” for the incident that occurred in the early hours of Dec. 12.

The 34-year-old sergeant was reportedly off duty and driving his own car at the time of the crash.

The victim’s nephew, Mace Hernandez, said outside Newark City Hall on Thursday that the long-awaited charges give Rodriguez’s family enough closure to finally begin the grieving process.

“21 days,” Hernandez said. “We don’t know why it took so long.”

The victim’s family plans to ask Internal Affairs investigators to make sure the cop-on-cop tragedy was handled by the book.

Rodriguez was mowed down around 12:44 a.m. while directing traffic after a performance by Bronx bachata band Aventura. Rodriguez, who joined the Newark Department of Public Safety as a traffic cop in 2022, died at University Hospital shortly before 2 a.m.

Ortiz, who lives in Hillside, was placed under home detention, according to ABC News. He’s only been allowed to leave for church services and court appointments.

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