Three Woodbridge police officers were indicted today on charges in a conspiracy to cover-up a car accident to protect one of the officers.
Woodbridge police Officer David Hughes and Amanda Felicies were indicted on charge alleging the aided another officer in covering-up his car accident. ( Woodbridge Township photos) NEW BRUNSWICK -- Three Woodbridge police officers face charges of conspiring in a cover-up after one of the officers crashed his car in the township nearly one year ago, authorities said today.
Officers Brian Joseph, 33, of Perth Amboy; David Hughes, 31, of the Port Reading section of Woodbridge, and Amanda Felicies, 30, of the Fords section of the township were indicted on two counts each of official misconduct, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said Friday.
He said the officers also face related charges of conspiracy for failing to file a report and changing computer records that had documented the crash.
In addition, Hughes was charged with falsifying public records and tampering with public records to conceal the crash, the prosecutor said.
He said Felicies was also charged with false swearing by lying under oath to police during an investigation into the cover-up.
Authorities say that on May 23, 2015, Joseph, who was off-duty at the time, was driving on Route 9 and exited onto West Pond Road when his Mitsubishi sports utility vehicle jumped the curb, and sustained enough damage to become inoperable.
Hughes and Felicies were the officers dispatched to the accident scene, authorities said.
They said Hughes filed a false report on the accident later that same day to protect Joseph. They also said Felicies later provided false information under oath last Jan. 19, according to the the grand jury indictment
Carey said Woodbridge police conducted their own investigation and determined that Hughes and Felicies had responded to the scene. The prosecutor said the Special Investigations Unit in his office took over an investigation, discovering the evidence that led to the grand jury indictments.
Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Christine D'Elia presented the case to the grand jury, Carey said.
All three officers have been suspended from their jobs. As of last December, Felicies and Joseph were each receiving a $71,822, and Hughes was receiving $91,273, according to state records.
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