On Sept. 17, four Jersey City Police Officers agreed to give up their jobs and to be forever barred from public employment in law enforcement when they entered into a plea agreement regarding a 2017 high-speed chase, according to a press release from the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.
The plea agreement comes after the four officers were indicted for their involvement in the incident that began on the night of June 4, 2017, when Leo Pinkston led police on a high-speed pursuit that ended when Pinkston crashed his fleeing vehicle into a vehicle driven by Miguel Feliz-Rodriguez.
The chase
On Sunday, June 4, 2017, shortly after 11 p.m., members of the Jersey City Police Department attempted to stop a motor vehicle in the area of Ocean and Cator avenues in Jersey City.
The driver, 48-year-old Leo Pinkston, of Jersey City, fled the area and eluded police officers for approximately six miles within Jersey City. While fleeing, Pinkston “led police officers on a dangerous high-speed chase, jeopardizing the safety of police officers and the community,” according to a press release.
During the chase, Pinkston drove at police, crashed into civilian cars, and crashed into and drove through a police car, reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour at times.
Near Carlton and Tonnelle avenues, Officers Eric Kosinski and MD Khan fired their guns in the direction of the vehicle Pinkston was driving. In the intersection of Manhattan and Tonnelle avenues, Officer Francisco Rodriguez fired his gun at the fleeing vehicle but Pinkston continued to drive north on Tonnelle Avenue, ultimately crashing the vehicle into another vehicle being driven by, Miguel Feliz-Rodriguez, age 28, of West New York, causing a collision with a utility pole and both vehicles to ignite in fire.
According to the press release, cell phone video depicts Feliz-Rodriguez getting himself out of the burning car while on fire.
Lieutenant Keith Ludwig was the first officer to arrive on the scene. The cell phone video “appears to show Ludwig striking Feliz-Rodriguez with his foot,” according to the press release.
A second surveillance video, recovered as a result of the investigation, “appears to show the physical contact by Lt. Ludwig in the context of fire suppression,” the release states.
The cell phone video and the surveillance video recovered from the scene also depict another police officer, Officer Khan, running in and kicking Feliz-Rodriguez.
Feliz-Rodriguez was transported by Emergency Medical Services to St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston where he was treated for his severe injuries.
On Feb. 5, 2018, Pinkston pleaded guilty to eluding and aggravated assault. He was sentenced on March 16, 2018 to five years and 18 months in jail in New Jersey State Prison.
The agreement
According to the press release, three officers will resign and the fourth will retire as part of their plea agreements.
Jersey City Police Officer MD Khan pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for “his attempt to cause significant bodily injury” to Miguel FelizRodriguez. As part of the plea, Khan will forfeit his position with the Jersey City Police Department and will be forever barred from any future public employment. He will also be subject to a period of probationary supervision.
Jersey City Police Officer Eric Kosinski pleaded guilty to endangering another person by “creating a substantial risk of serious bodily injury to another.” As part of the plea, he will resign from his position with the Jersey City Police Department and will be forever barred from any future public employment in the field of law enforcement. Kosinski will be required to enter into and complete the Pretrial Intervention Program.
Like Kosinski, Jersey City Police Officer Francisco Rodriguez pleaded guilty to endangering another person. As part of the plea, he will resign from his position with the Jersey City Police Department and will be forever barred from any future public employment in the field of law enforcement. Rodriguez will be required to enter into and complete the Pretrial Intervention Program.
Jersey City Police Lieutenant Keith Ludwig will be required to enter into and complete the Pretrial Intervention Program and “he will… be compelled to retire from the Jersey City Police Department and will be permanently barred from public employment in the field of law enforcement.”
According to the press release, the victim, Miguel Feliz-Rodriguez, was consulted on all aspects of the plea agreement and “concurs with the resolution.”
The Office of the Attorney General of the State of New Jersey reviewed and ultimately authorized the Pretrial Intervention aspects of the resolution of this case.
“This agreement is substantive in that it provides accountability for the actions of the police officers while at the same time taking into account the input of the victim,” said Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez. “It is the most fair and just resolution in a difficult case.”
Sentencing for Khan is scheduled for Nov. 7, before the Honorable Mitzy Galis Menendez, P.J.S.C., who accepted his guilty plea. The State is represented by Assistant Prosecutor Karyn Darish of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Public Integrity Unit.
