4 Jersey City officers indicted in police pursuit, fiery crash

<p>A grand jury returned an indictment Thursday against four Jersey City police officers who were involved in a pursuit in June that ended in a fiery crash.</p>

News 12 Staff

Nov 2, 2017, 5:15 PM

Updated 2,372 days ago

Share:

A Hudson County grand jury returned an indictment Thursday against four Jersey City police officers who were involved in a pursuit in June that ended in a fiery crash, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office announced in a news release.
Lt. Keith Ludwig was charged with three counts, MD Khan was charged with 13 counts, Officer Eric Kosinski was charged with five counts and Officer Francisco Rodriguez was charged with four counts.
All four face aggravated assault charges, while Khan and Kosinski also face an attempted murder charge.
According to the news release, the officers initiated a pursuit the night of June 4 after the driver of a vehicle refused to pull over for a traffic stop in the area of Ocean and Cator avenues in Jersey City.
The prosecutor’s office said the fleeing driver, 48-year-old Leo Pinkston, of Jersey City, was involved in several automobile crashes. Pinkston eventually crashed his vehicle into another vehicle being driven on Tonnelle Avenue. The vehicles collided with a utility pole, causing a fire and injuring the driver of the second vehicle, the press release said.
Video of the incident obtained by News 12 New Jersey showed the injured driver of the second vehicle exiting his car before the officers appeared to begin kicking him.
A police union official in June said the video clearly showed the officers acted quickly to help put out the flames.
The president of the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association released the following statement: "As it should be, this entire incident is being fully investigated. Taking swift action isn't always elegant, but this video clearly shows that the officers acted quickly to extinguish the flames and pull this man out of harm's way."
Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop also released a statement that said, "As we stated at the outset, the actions taken that night required serious investigation. We took immediate and appropriate action and will now abide the judicial process.”
The statement continued, "Our internal investigation will now begin into all the actions or inactions of department members that night. We want the community to continue to have full confidence in the Jersey City Police Department and its officers."
The officers were suspended in the wake of the chase and fiery crash, but they were reinstated a few weeks later and placed on administrative duty.
But Jersey City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill says that all four officers have now been suspended without pay, pending the outcome of the case.


More from News 12
2:00
FDNY: Dozens homeless after 5-alarm fire destroys Bushwick supermarket

FDNY: Dozens homeless after 5-alarm fire destroys Bushwick supermarket

1:37
Summerlike weather returns to NYC with temps in the 80s; cooler weather for the weekend

Summerlike weather returns to NYC with temps in the 80s; cooler weather for the weekend

2:03
New exhibit at Brooklyn Museum unveils new photos taken by Beatles' Paul McCartney

New exhibit at Brooklyn Museum unveils new photos taken by Beatles' Paul McCartney

0:32
NYPD: Suspect driver wanted for assaulting 59-year-old man in Williamsburg

NYPD: Suspect driver wanted for assaulting 59-year-old man in Williamsburg

0:23
Police: 2-car Prospect-Lefferts Gardens crash leaves person hospitalized

Police: 2-car Prospect-Lefferts Gardens crash leaves person hospitalized

0:36
Live Nation Concert Week offers $25 tickets to over 5,000 shows

Live Nation Concert Week offers $25 tickets to over 5,000 shows

2:22
Do you constantly reuse the same username and password? 6 steps to help safeguard your online accounts

Do you constantly reuse the same username and password? 6 steps to help safeguard your online accounts

1:27
Kingsboro Psychiatric Center workers demand their bosses get fired due to bullying, nepotism

Kingsboro Psychiatric Center workers demand their bosses get fired due to bullying, nepotism

2:46
SBU officials: 29 people arrested on campus as students hold pro-Palestinian protest

SBU officials: 29 people arrested on campus as students hold pro-Palestinian protest

1:51
RFK announces he has enough signatures to appear on NY ballot

RFK announces he has enough signatures to appear on NY ballot

1:46
Tenants weigh in on possible rent hikes for rent-stabilized homes

Tenants weigh in on possible rent hikes for rent-stabilized homes

1:38
Parks Department held community input meetings over new construction of skate parks

Parks Department held community input meetings over new construction of skate parks

1:27
Power restored in Manhattan Beach following 18-wheeler truck crash

Power restored in Manhattan Beach following 18-wheeler truck crash

0:34
FBI arrests Brooklyn man in Mount Vernon robbery, homicide

FBI arrests Brooklyn man in Mount Vernon robbery, homicide

1:53
Elected officials call on mayor to bring Staten Island ferry back to former Bay Ridge Pier

Elected officials call on mayor to bring Staten Island ferry back to former Bay Ridge Pier

0:31
Authorities arrest 31-year-old man in connection to fatal Williamsburg crash

Authorities arrest 31-year-old man in connection to fatal Williamsburg crash

2:19
Rent hikes may be coming for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments

Rent hikes may be coming for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments

1:54
Funeral held for DJ Mister Cee in Downtown Brooklyn

Funeral held for DJ Mister Cee in Downtown Brooklyn

1:48
Mayor's administration awards $12.3 million emergency contract to run migrant shelter in Brooklyn

Mayor's administration awards $12.3 million emergency contract to run migrant shelter in Brooklyn

1:51
Brooklyn animal shelter hopes to find pets forever homes on National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day

Brooklyn animal shelter hopes to find pets forever homes on National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day