TRENTON, N.J. – A state grand jury has declined to bring criminal charges against seven Ocean County law enforcement officers following a yearlong investigation into the 2024 death of a Toms River man who died shortly after being taken into custody.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Wednesday that the grand jury voted “no bill” after reviewing evidence in the death of John Cassidy, 47, of Toms River, who died following an encounter with police on April 19, 2024.
The investigation was launched by the Attorney General’s office.
The review was conducted by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) in accordance with the Independent Prosecutor Directive, which requires the Attorney General’s Office to investigate all deaths occurring during encounters with law enforcement.
Key Points
- Grand jury found no basis for criminal charges against officers involved in John Cassidy’s death.
- The medical examiner ruled Cassidy’s death natural, caused by heart disease and obesity.
- The incident involved officers from Island Heights, Toms River, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office.
Traffic stop led to lengthy standoff
According to the investigation, Island Heights Police attempted to arrest Cassidy on outstanding warrants after stopping him at a Route 37 gas station around 1 p.m. on April 19, 2024. Cassidy allegedly re-entered his vehicle against officers’ orders and refused to exit for approximately 25 minutes.
Police ultimately broke a window to gain entry and removed Cassidy from the vehicle with assistance from Toms River Police and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office. He was handcuffed on the ground when he suffered a medical episode.
Autopsy found natural causes
Emergency medical personnel were called to the scene and transported Cassidy to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where he was pronounced dead around 2:25 p.m. An autopsy determined the cause of death was hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and morbid obesity, with the manner of death ruled natural.
Evidence reviewed by state grand jury
The Attorney General’s Office said the grand jury reviewed body-worn camera footage, surveillance video, police radio transmissions, medical records, and autopsy findings before reaching its decision on October 20, 2025.
The jurors determined there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges against the seven officers identified: Island Heights Police Officers Peter Muscarella, Dominique D’Amico-Violante, and Lt. Paul Rutledge; Toms River Police Officers Anthony Pacella, Krzysztof Kowalczyk, and Sgt. Shan Ruiz; and Ocean County Sheriff’s Sgt. Anthony Pereira.
Administrative review to follow
As required by the Independent Prosecutor Directive, the Attorney General’s Office will refer the matter for internal administrative review by the involved agencies. OPIA will monitor those reviews to ensure they are completed in accordance with state internal affairs policies.
Body-worn camera footage from the incident has been publicly released and can be viewed on the New Jersey Attorney General’s website.