WEST DEPTFORD, NJ — A United Kingdom man has been charged with second degree death by auto following a fatal crash on Hessian Road.
George Linard, 24, was charged with second degree death by auto, two counts of fourth degree assault by auto and possession of a fraudulent government license, Gloucester County Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns announced.
Linard’s next court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
On Nov. 9 at approximately 5:36 p.m., officers of the West Deptford Police Department were dispatched to PS Gas and Food Mart in response to a report of two intoxicated males.
The officers responded to the location and observed a white vehicle matching the description of the vehicle associated with the intoxicated males.
Upon the officers’ arrival, the vehicle departed from the gas station and traveled onto Hessian Road.
One of the West Deptford Police Department officers was operating a marked unit and activated their emergency lights in an attempt to perform a stop of the vehicle.
Shortly thereafter, the vehicle traveled into the opposite lane of travel and made contact with another vehicle operated by a driver and occupied by a rear seat passenger.
The driver sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash.
The passenger sustained a leg fracture and described being t-boned by the vehicle.
Police initially identified the operator of the vehicle as Steve Hall but later learned his true identity was that of George Linard.
Linard also sustained injuries as a result of the crash.
The vehicle also contained a front seat passenger who sustained a dislocated hip.
A witness observed police lights at a distance, observed the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed and observed the two vehicles make impact.
On Nov. 10, the defendant was charged on a complaint-warrant under the name of Steve Hall and has been in custody since that date while pending the state’s motion for continued pretrial detention.
On Nov. 12, the defendant’s identity of Steve Hall was determined to be fraudulent, and his true identity was confirmed to be that of George Linard.
Linard was further found to be a wanted person by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department for failing to appear on a pending criminal indictment that alleges unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance, money laundering and two counts of possession of a false government identification document.
Because this case involves a fatality which arose from an encounter with police, the Attorney General’s Office is simultaneously investigating this matter as required by law.
The maximum term of incarceration for a second-degree crime is 10 years’ imprisonment.
The maximum term of incarceration for a fourth-degree crime is 18 months’ imprisonment.
Defense counsel is Harley Daniel Breite of Paterson.
