Waldwick Police Officers Brian Finale and Chris Goodell (Courtesy WALDWICK PD).
Waldwick police officer Christopher Goodell killed in crash on Route 17
Originally published: July 17, 2014 5:25 AM
Updated: July 17, 2014 6:35 AM
WALDWICK – Authorities say a police officer in northern New Jersey has died in a traffic accident.
Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli says the Waldwick police officer was operating radar on Route 17 when a tractor-trailer rear-ended his unmarked police car just before 1:30 a.m. Thursday.
Waldwick Police Chief Mark Messner identified the officer as 32-year-old Christopher Goodell. He was a five-year veteran of the department. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps for eight years.
https://newjersey.news12.com/news/prosecutor-waldwick-police-officer-struck-killed-by-tractor-trailer-on-route-17-1.8828279?cmpid=News_12_New_Jersey_Breaking_News_Alert__newsletter
This man died serving his fellow man in a dangerous job others often take for granted. The pearly gates will be lined with blue uniforms awaiting his arrival. God bless his family, we appreciate his and your enormous sacrifice. We were lucky to have had him in our midst.
I’m very sorry that this officer was killed but I think Waldwick is the only municipality that uses Radar on Rt 17.
Hasbrouck Heights PD is fairly active as well. I would be curious to see what the revenue intake is from motor vehicle violations committed on R17 in some of these hamlets.
This highway is infrequently patrolled by the County cops. You won’t find Paramus PD anywhere near Rt 17. In fact, they sit behind buildings on Century Road on weekends…far away from the madding crowds.
There is usually a Mahwah car doing radar on the northbound side, well off the travelled road facing southbound in the grass.
Ramsey, Upper Saddle River, and Saddle River always have cars pulled over.
The County PD always has radar going, and they park *dangerously* in the breakdown lane.
So there seems to be no lack of radar enforcement as stated by #2.
I do not know the details of the driver’s condition that hit the officer.
However, I’m dismayed to see that he was charged with vehicular homicide because “he failed to slow down and hit the officer”. He called 911 when he hit the officer.
I am very sure that if it was just a random person broken down on the shoulder there wouldn’t be a vehicular homicide charge.
btw i drove by the accident spot yesterday. I am in agreement that it is pretty stupid to be running radar on the shoulder at night, probably with no lights on in a dark unmarked cop car.
waldwick also only has minimal rt 17 frontage so to me this seems like a revenue play (aka speed trap). why not let the bergen county cops handle this?
i feel bad for both parties. both the officer that lost his life and the truck driver whose life may be ruined due to an accident.
thed
It seems to me that all of you Monday Morning quarterback are missing the point here. Why does this not surprise me???
Ok 5, what is the point ?
An officer died due to an accident. Meanwhile, somebody was charged with vehicular homicide.
Is it right???? Accidents happen. Just because it was a cop they are going to turn a tragedy into a potential injustice?
Now, if u tell me he was drunk, texting , etcetera I may change my opinion. I haven’t heard that as an excuse for the charge though.
Thed
How about he never hit the breaks… Hitting 80% of the officer vehical… Meaning the truck veered completely into the shoulder. Now MAYBE I would get your point if it was a car traveling home and somehow lost control and hit him… Chances are he would be alive if that was the case. But CDL licensed professional truck driver who never hit the breaks allowed his vehicle to cross into the shoulder and strike a unmarked police car and then continue further and come to rest into a retaining wall within 15 feet of house…I mean really if he hit a broken down motorist I would hope he would be charged. You can argue the area being a safe spot for radar…. But this man was a professional and he made a terrible error that killed a man. That is the definition of what he was charged with. So what he called 911? I think the fact that a police officer was killed is why your are questioning it. If this was a 18 year kid changing a tire on the side of the road I bet you would feel different.