EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ – On Monday, a state grand jury declined to file criminal charges regarding the death of Julius Filep, 55, of Edison, N.J.
Editor’s Note: Correction: The headline initially claimed the incident was a shooting, innacurately.
Filep was fatally struck by a police vehicle in East Brunswick on August 1, 2021, while walking on Route 18.
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) led the investigation into Filep’s death. The probe included witness interviews, video footage reviews, 9-1-1 calls, radio transmissions, and autopsy results.
The grand jury decided not to file charges against Patrolman Mitchell Ngai of the East Brunswick Police Department, who was on duty at the time of the accident.
The accident occurred after a vehicle had struck a utility pole causing various debris to scatter across the highway. This resulted in multiple vehicles becoming disabled, including Filep’s. Mr. Filep was struck while standing near the median in the midst of the debris-filled highway. Emergency medical personnel were unable to save Mr. Filep, who was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at 4:13 a.m.