Off-Duty Police Officer Killed in Car Accident in Ocean County
February 14, 2022Off Duty Officer Killed in Car Crash is Identified
February 14, 2022
Roy Deronde Jr. Was Arrested
Manchester Township Police Department stated Monday that a Pennsylvania man was caught Sunday evening after a 24-hour manhunt following a three-vehicle incident on Saturday that shut down Route 70 and injured his passenger.
Roy W. Deronde Jr., 48, was apprehended Sunday at a home in Leisure Village East after neighbors of Leisure Village West reported him knocking on their doors and asking them to order a taxi, according to Manchester Lt. James Komsa.
Deronde had been missing since an accident on Route 70 just before 6 p.m. Saturday, according to authorities. On Saturday, Deronde was driving a silver 2008 Nissan Altima west on the shoulder of Route 70 at high speed when he ran the red light at Colonial Drive, colliding with a white 2019 Jeep Cherokee traveling south, according to Komsa.
According to Komsa, after hitting the Jeep Cherokee, the Altima crossed the centerline and collided with a red 2018 Mercedes Benz GLC in the eastbound traffic lane. The Altima drove east after colliding with the Mercedes until it collided with a utility post and exploded into flames, he added.
According to Komsa, Deronde fled the site of the accident. His passenger, Fannie Kistner of Kingston, Pennsylvania, also fled the vehicle but was apprehended and taken to
Community Medical Center in Toms River for treatment of her injuries, according to Komsa.
Richard and Cathy Kulaszewski of Toms River, the Mercedes' driver and passenger, were unharmed in the crash, he said. Grace Poli of Manchester was identified as the Jeep Cherokee's driver. Poli received no injury reports from Komsa.
According to Komsa, Deronde was charged with assault by automobile, leaving the scene of an accident causing serious bodily injury, hindering apprehension, and obstruction of justice, and authorities tracked him down with the help of a drone and the New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit, the Ocean County Sheriff's Department, and Lakehurst police.
According to Komsa, Deronde escaped officials until 5:18 p.m. Sunday, when Manchester EMS staff noticed a man matching Deronde's description near the EMS headquarters. According to him, EMS staff witnessed him cross Colonial Drive and jump a fence into the Leisure Village West subdivision.
Several
Leisure Village West residents called police a short time later, stating a man matching Deronde's description was knocking on their doors and asking them to get a taxi, according to Komsa.
Police searched a perimeter that encompassed Huntington Drive, Route 37 west, Colonial Drive, and Buckingham Drive, following tracks in the snow. The Ocean County Sheriff's Department dispatched K-9 units "as well as the majority of their Criminal Investigative Units to the location," according to Komsa, while Toms River Police dispatched units to assist in the security of the area. Due to the weather, the NJSP Aviation Unit and Manchester drone units were unable to fly on Sunday, he added.
Authorities quickly discovered Deronde had taken a ride from Leisure Village West to
Leisure Village East in Lakewood, and according to Komsa, they followed him down to a residence in Leisure Village East where he was living. Officers from the
Manchester Police Department, the Ocean County Sheriff's Department, and the
Lakewood Police Department all responded and arrested him.
Assisting at the crash scene were EMTs from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, volunteer firefighters from Manchester Volunteer Fire Company and Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company, Jersey Central Power and Light, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, Lakehurst Police Department, the New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit.
Manchester Patrolman Conner Yatauro is investigating the crash.
