TRENTON — The Attorney General’s Office is investigating a fatality that occurred Wednesday, November 8, 2023, in Bellmawr, New Jersey. One adult male was found unresponsive, and was pronounced dead, in a restroom in the publicly accessible lobby area of the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) Bellmawr Station. His identity is not being released at this time.

According to the preliminary investigation, on November 7, 2023, at approximately 11:05 p.m., members of the NJSP responded to a motor vehicle accident in which the male was involved. He was subsequently placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence, processed at the NJSP Bellmawr Station, and later released from police custody. Then, the male suffered a medical episode in the lobby’s restroom and became unresponsive. State troopers and emergency medical personnel performed lifesaving efforts, which were unsuccessful. The male was pronounced deceased at 3:24 a.m.

A 2019 law, P.L. 2019, c. 1, requires the Attorney General’s Office to conduct investigations of a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody. It requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer or officers involved. At this time, the Attorney General’s Office is investigating to determine whether this death falls under the purview of the statute. As the investigation is ongoing, no further information is being released at this time.

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