JACKSON TOWNSHIP, NJ – A Jackson man injured in a 2023 crash involving a township vehicle has filed a civil lawsuit against the Township of Jackson, its Code Enforcement Department, and GEICO Insurance, alleging negligence and seeking damages for permanent injuries sustained when he was struck while riding his bicycle.
According to the complaint filed in Ocean County Superior Court by attorney Gary S. Shapiro of Shapiro & Sternlieb, LLC, plaintiff Edivaldo Orechio Dos Reis, of Toms River Road, claims he was riding his bicycle lawfully along Cambridge Drive on July 25, 2023, when a white Township of Jackson truck, allegedly operated by a township code enforcement officer identified only as “George,” hit him without warning and then left the scene.
Orechio Dos Reis asserts that the vehicle, partially blocking a driveway and sidewalk, struck both him and his bicycle “causing a sudden and violent collision.”
The driver allegedly exited the truck, identified himself by first name, and then drove away.
The complaint names the unknown driver as “George Doe” and includes multiple fictitious parties under “John Doe” and “ABC Corporation” placeholders until identities are confirmed.
Township, code enforcement, and insurer all named in suit
The 19-page filing accuses Jackson Township and its code enforcement division of negligence in hiring, supervising, and controlling the employee operating the truck. It also alleges the township failed to properly maintain its vehicles and enforce safety standards among staff.
In addition to the township, GEICO Indemnity Company was named as a defendant because the plaintiff had an active automobile insurance policy providing uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage at the time of the crash. Orechio Dos Reis is seeking compensation under that policy, asserting that the township driver responsible has not been identified or located.
The suit claims the plaintiff sustained “severe and permanent physiological and psychological injuries,” along with significant medical costs, lost income, and emotional distress. The complaint further alleges that his injuries “have not healed to function normally and will not heal to function normally with further medical treatment.”
Motions now pending before Ocean County court
Court records show that on January 28, 2026, GEICO Insurance filed a motion for summary judgment seeking dismissal of claims against it, while the plaintiff’s counsel simultaneously submitted a motion to amend the complaint to include additional fictitious defendants and claims against the township and its agencies. Both motions are scheduled for decision in February and March 2026, respectively, with no oral arguments requested.
Orechio Dos Reis has also demanded that the township and its insurer produce all relevant records, including vehicle reports, dashcam footage, surveillance videos, insurance coverage documents, and witness statements connected to the July 2023 incident.
- Jackson bicyclist alleges township code officer struck and fled
- Lawsuit seeks damages for permanent injury and lost income
- Motions pending over GEICO’s liability and plaintiff’s amended complaint
The case, Edivaldo Orechio Dos Reis v. Township of Jackson et al. (Docket No. OCN-L-2014-25), is pending before the Ocean County Superior Court, Law Division. A jury trial has been requested by the plaintiff.
