WOODBURY, NJ — A United Kingdom man is facing upgraded charges including two counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter following a fatal crash that occurred after he fled from police.
George Linard, 24, was charged Nov. 19 with two counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter and one count of eluding, according to Gloucester County Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns.
Linard was previously identified as Steve Hall before his true identity was confirmed.
On Nov. 9 at approximately 5:36 p.m., West Deptford police officers were dispatched to PS Gas and Food Mart in response to a report of two intoxicated males.
Officers observed a white vehicle matching the description of the vehicle associated with the intoxicated males.
The vehicle departed from the gas station and traveled onto Hessian Road.
A West Deptford police officer operating a marked unit activated emergency lights in an attempt to stop the vehicle.
The vehicle traveled into the opposite lane of travel and made contact with another vehicle operated by a driver with a rear seat passenger.
The driver of the second vehicle sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash.
The rear seat passenger sustained a leg fracture and described being t-boned by Linard’s vehicle.
Data retrieved from Linard’s vehicle showed that five seconds before the crash, he was operating the vehicle at 64 mph.
At the time of impact, Linard had accelerated to 86 mph in a 30 mph zone.
The accelerator pedal was fully depressed for the entire five seconds before the crash.
Dash camera footage showed that at 5:44 p.m., an officer in a marked police unit activated emergency lights and exited the vehicle, signaling for Linard to stop.
Linard ignored the emergency lights and drove onto Hessian Avenue at 5:44 p.m.
At 5:44 p.m., Linard crossed the double yellow center lines into the oncoming lane to pass a vehicle.
At 5:45 p.m., Linard struck the second vehicle in the middle of the intersection of Hessian and Red Bank avenues.
The traffic light for vehicles on Hessian Avenue was red, and the victim had the right of way.
Linard’s vehicle also contained a front seat passenger who sustained a dislocated hip.
Linard also sustained injuries as a result of the crash.
On Nov. 10, Linard was initially charged under the name Steve Hall and has been in custody since that date.
On Nov. 12, his identity was confirmed to be George Linard.
Linard was found to be wanted by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department for failing to appear on a pending criminal indictment alleging unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance, money laundering and two counts of possession of a false government identification document.
The Attorney General’s Office is simultaneously investigating this matter as required by law because the case involves a fatality which arose from an encounter with police.
The maximum term of incarceration for first-degree aggravated manslaughter is 30 years’ imprisonment.
The maximum term of incarceration for second-degree eluding is 10 years’ imprisonment.
Linard is represented by Harley Daniel Breite of Paterson.
