By: Najla Alexander
NJ AG authorities announced that a state grand jury has voted to not file criminal charges at the conclusion of its deliberations regarding the death of Arturo Tlapa Luna, 33, of Freehold, a driver whose vehicle was hit by a stolen vehicle during a November 9, 2022, police pursuit.
Officials stated that a Marlboro Township Police sergeant was pursuing the stolen vehicle but was not involved in the crash.
Mr. Luna’s death was investigated by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) and presented to New Jersey residents serving on the state grand jury in accordance with the Independent Prosecutor Directive of 2019 (the “Directive”), officials said.
In July 2021, officials say, OPIA issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure these grand jury presentations are conducted in a neutral and objective manner, with appropriate transparency regarding the process, consistent with the Directive.
The investigation included interviews of witnesses, review of photographs and video footage, and autopsy results from the State Medical Examiner, officials said.
This evidence, including video of the incident, was presented to the grand jury, according to officials.
Officials said after hearing the testimony and reviewing the evidence, the grand jury concluded its deliberations on January 8, 2024, and voted “no bill,” meaning jurors concluded no criminal charges should be filed against Marlboro Police Sgt. Gregory Arrone.
According to the investigation, on November 9, 2022, the fatal crash occurred at 2:14 a.m. near the intersection of Spring Valley Road and Route 9 South in Old Bridge, after Sgt. Arrone attempted to stop a stolen Nissan Maxima while investigating attempted car thefts from a Marlboro, Monmouth County neighborhood. Sergeant Arrone learned the suspects were checking to see if they could open the doors of parked cars in driveways.
Authorities say when police officers arrived, the suspects ran back to the Maxima and fled the area.
According to officials, the driver of the car, later identified as Samuel Villar, 20, of Somerset, New Jersey, drove away at high speed and was pursued by Sgt. Arrone.
The pursuit spanned nine miles, lasted more than seven minutes, and reached speeds of over 100 mph, officials stated.
Officials said OPIA’s investigation revealed that, during the pursuit, in the early morning hours, few cars and no pedestrians were along the route of travel, but the pursuit continued to a heavily trafficked area of Route 9, where the vehicle Mr. Villar was driving ultimately ran a red light at a high speed and collided with a civilian vehicle that had the right of way.
The driver of that civilian vehicle, Mr. Luna, died from injuries sustained in the crash and Sgt. Arrone’s vehicle was not involved in the accident, officials say.
Authorities say on June 14, 2023, Mr. Villar pleaded guilty in the Middlesex County Superior Court to aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault while eluding, and eluding.
Officials said on December 4, 2023, he was sentenced to serve 12 years in New Jersey state prison, 85 percent of which must be served before parole eligibility, pursuant to the “No Early Release Act.”