TRENTON, N.J. — A New Jersey State Police detective has been criminally charged in connection with a high-speed pursuit that ended in a fatal crash in Springfield Township, Burlington County, leaving a 24-year-old motorcyclist dead.
A state grand jury voted Monday to indict Detective Mark Campagna on one count of fourth-degree endangering another person. Campagna was off duty and driving an unmarked take-home police vehicle when he pursued motorcyclist Omar Kebbabi of Astoria, Queens, on June 20, 2023. Kebbabi later collided with an unrelated civilian vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said Campagna was driving at speeds over 100 miles per hour while following Kebbabi for nearly three miles along Route 206. According to the New Jersey Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), the detective did not activate lights or sirens during the pursuit, and was not on his scheduled shift at the time.
“The grand jury returned a charge that holds the defendant accountable for conduct that endangered Mr. Kebbabi, fellow officers, and every motorist on the road that day,” said New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin in a statement.
The crash occurred shortly before 4:50 p.m. at the intersection of Route 206 and Jacksonville-Jobstown Road. Both Kebbabi and the driver of the civilian vehicle he struck had green lights at the time. The civilian driver was not seriously injured.
Grand jury indictment follows OPIA-led investigation
The case was presented to a state grand jury under a law mandating review of all fatal police encounters. The investigation, conducted by OPIA, included commercial surveillance video, dashcam footage from a Springfield Township police cruiser, witness interviews, accident reconstruction, and autopsy findings.
According to OPIA, speed estimates derived from video evidence indicated both vehicles were traveling at excessive speeds during the encounter. The final moments of the pursuit were captured by a police mobile video recorder.
Drew Skinner, executive director of OPIA, stated, “Under the law requiring the presentation of such matters to a grand jury, and our SOPs requiring neutrality by prosecutors, the grand jury reviewed the facts and determined the evidence supported the return of this indictment.”
Campagna remains under investigation and is expected to face trial in the Superior Court of New Jersey. No additional charges have been filed at this time.
A fourth-degree charge in New Jersey carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison.
