New Jersey State Police Officers Suspended For High Speed Escort, Lawyer Plans Investigation
Two officers escorted dozens of luxury cars traveling at high speeds.
April 24, 2012— -- The lawyer for a New Jersey state trooper who was suspended for escorting a high speed caravan of exotic cars to Atlantic City said today that such escorts "happen all the time."
Sgt. 1st Class Nadir Nassry, 47, and trooper Joseph Ventrella, 28, were suspended without pay on Monday while the New Jersey Attorney General and state police investigate the March 30 incident.
Motorists who were caught in the whirlwind of the Porsches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris said the "joyride" down the Garden State Parkway was dangerous for other drivers sharing the road.
"I had the great pleasure today of nearly being killed by not one, but two Lamborghinis travelling in excess of 110 mph in a NJSP escorted 'caravan' of approximately 30 exotic vehicles," motorist Wayne Gantt wrote in an emailed complaint to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. A copy of the complaints were provided to ABCNews.com.
Many of the vehicles were weaving through all three lanes, Gantt wrote.
Motorist John Kennedy said it was "a very strange and unsafe situation that I could not comprehend the need."
Once in Atlantic City, Kennedy said he saw one of the drivers peeling tape off of his license after the dash down the parkway.
Among those participating in the high speed jaunt to Atlantic City was reportedly NFL star Brandon Jacobs, the New Jersey Star Ledger reported.
Charles Sciarra, who is the attorney for Nassry, said "other corporate types and a philanthropist" were also involved, but declined to name names while he was conducting his own investigation.
Sciarra said the drivers were heading to the gambling mecca because they were involved in a charity event. He did not provide any details on that event.
"These escorts happen all the time so the suggestion this was some uncommon event is a joke," Sciarra said.
The lawyer said Nassry is a 25-year veteran and that the story is "overblown."
"The suspension of my client, without pay, after a 25 year unblemished career without a full investigation is a public relations reaction," Sciarra said.
Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said his office was investigating the incident and would hand down "serious discipline" to those involved.
"We will not tolerate any conduct by a member of the State Police that puts the public in jeopardy, as this unauthorized caravan had the potential to do," Chiesa said.
Sciarra said the state's alleged widespread use of police escorts needed to be investigated, not just his client's case.
"Someone has to do an investigation. If the state police won't, I will," he said, noting that he has requested records. "Then we can have an honest discussion and evaluation of whether this [case] was handled correctly."
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