HARDING — A Morris County Grand Jury has indicted Pierre Innocent in connection with the crash that killed tow truck operator Daniel “DJ” Ortiz on Interstate 287 last July, according to Ortiz’s family and supporters.
Innocent, of Orange, faces the following charges:
- Reckless Vehicular Homicide, N.J.S.A. 2C:11-5
- Violation of a Law Intended to Promote Public Safety, N.J.S.A. 2C:40-18
Both charges are being brought as second-degree offenses.
An indictment does not mean a person has been found guilty. It means a Grand Jury determined there was sufficient evidence for the criminal charges to formally move forward through the court system.
Under New Jersey law, a second-degree crime generally carries a potential sentence of five to ten years in state prison if there is a conviction. Reckless vehicular homicide is also subject to New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, which can require a person convicted of the offense to serve eighty-five percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for parole.
Ortiz, 24, was struck while assisting a motorist on the shoulder of the highway. He later died of his injuries.
For more than a year, Ortiz’s family, friends, coworkers and members of the towing community have pushed for accountability in the case. Supporters called the indictment an important step, though they noted the case is not over.
Ortiz’s supporters said they intend to continue advocating for stronger protections for tow operators, roadside workers, first responders, construction workers and other emergency personnel who work along highways, and are urging drivers to slow down and move over for vehicles stopped on the shoulder.
