05/06/2026
Today, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office announced charges in connection with the death of Daniel “DJ” Ortiz.
Let this sink in.
DJ was not in the travel lane.
DJ was not doing anything reckless.
DJ was doing his job on the shoulder of Route 287, helping a disabled motorist, exactly the kind of person every one of us hopes arrives when we are stranded, scared, or in danger.
And in a matter of seconds, his life was taken.
The investigation revealed that the Jeep Cherokee struck DJ in the shoulder of the roadway. The shoulder. The one place tow operators, first responders, construction workers, and emergency personnel are supposed to have some measure of protection under New Jersey’s Move Over Law and Eileen’s Law.
This was not an unavoidable tragedy.
This was preventable.
Every single driver knows the shoulder is dangerous. Every single driver knows that when emergency lights are flashing, you slow down and move over. That law exists because people like DJ are out there risking their lives for strangers every single day.
DJ was only 24 years old.
He had a future.
He had family who loved him.
Friends who counted on him.
Coworkers who stood beside him.
A life that mattered.
Now there is an empty seat where DJ should be.
Phone calls that will never come.
Birthdays that will never feel complete.
A family forced to live every day with a pain that should have never existed.
is bigger than one case.
It is about accountability.
It is about protecting roadside workers.
It is about making people understand that reckless decisions behind the wheel destroy lives forever.
No family should ever have to bury someone because another driver chose convenience over caution.
Slow down.
Move over.
Pay attention.
Because DJ should still be here.
Authorities Announce Charges in Route 287 Crash that Killed Tow Truck Driver
May 6, 2026
Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Harding Township Police Chief Michael R. Gromek announce charges have been filed in connection with a fatal motor vehicle crash that occurred on Route 287 South on July 2, 2025.
On the afternoon of July 2, 2025, the New Jersey State Police responded to the scene of a motor vehicle crash that had occurred on Route 287 South, mile marker 31.4 in Harding. The preliminary investigation revealed a tow truck had pulled over on the shoulder to assist a disabled vehicle. At that time, the operator and tow truck were struck by a 2019 Jeep Cherokee, which proceeded to roll over and came to rest on its roof. The tow truck operator and Jeep driver were taken to an area hospital for treatment. The investigation has revealed that the Jeep Cherokee struck the victim in the shoulder of the roadway.
The operator of the tow truck, Daniel “DJ” Ortiz, 24, of Hopatcong, succumbed to his injuries.
The driver of the Jeep Cherokee, Pierre Innocent, age 54, of Orange, has been charged with second degree Reckless Vehicular Homicide, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-5a. Under Eileen’s Law, enacted in 2018, failure to maintain a lane of travel may give rise to an inference that an individual was driving recklessly under the Vehicular Homicide statute.
The defendant has been released under pre-trial supervision level two with the following conditions: defendant shall surrender passport & sign waiver of extradition; defendant shall not operate a motor vehicle during the period of pretrial release; and defendant shall have no contact with victim’s next-of-kin.
The investigation was conducted by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and NJSP Fatal Accident Investigation Unit.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family, friends and co-workers. We remind the public that slowing down and moving over when approaching emergency vehicles on the roadway can save lives.”
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
