AG’s office releases footage in investigation of fatal crash involving Franklin Borough police officer
FRANKLIN BOROUGH, NJ (Sussex County) — The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has released 911 calls and video footage from two surveillance cameras and one mobile video recorder related to the fatal motor vehicle crash that occurred on May 27, in Franklin Borough.
The incident involved Franklin Borough Police Sgt. William Grissom and 19-year-old Deanna D’Arco from Sussex.
The crash is currently under investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA). This release is part of a 2019 policy aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in investigations of fatal police encounters. Investigators have previously met with D’Arco’s family to review the footage.
According to preliminary findings, at approximately 10:41 a.m., Sgt. Grissom was on duty, driving a marked police vehicle southbound on Route 23. The collision occurred when his vehicle struck a black Honda Prelude that was attempting to exit the ShopRite parking lot near the intersection of Route 23 and Walsh Street. The Honda reportedly emerged from behind stopped vehicles on the northbound side of the roadway.
Following the collision, Sgt. Grissom called for assistance and provided medical aid to the occupants of the Honda. D’Arco, who was seated in the front passenger seat, suffered life-threatening injuries and was rushed to Morristown Medical Center. Both the driver of the Honda and Sgt. Grissom sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
D’Arco was pronounced dead at 12:45 a.m. on May 29.
To view and listen to the audio and video recordings, click here.
A law requires the Attorney General’s Office to conduct investigations of a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody. It requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer or officers involved.
The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.
