Trenton
-- Attorney General Peter C. Harvey announced
that an Ocean County resident has pleaded
guilty in Essex County Superior Court
to charges stemming from a 2003 incident
on the New Jersey Turnpike where the defendant
attempted to run-down a New Jersey State
Trooper while making a motor vehicle stop.
The investigation was conducted by the
Attorney General’s Shooting Response
Team which includes the Division
of Criminal Justice and the New
Jersey State Police.
According to Vaughn L. McKoy, Director,
Division of Criminal Justice, Leon H.
Wolniewicz, 50, 20 Linstead Court, Toms
River, Ocean County, pleaded guilty before
Essex County Superior Court Judge Michael
A. Petrolle to charges of eluding police
(2nd degree), aggravated assault on a
police officer (3rd degree), reckless
driving, and failure to obey the orders
of a police officer. The charges were
contained in a State Grand Jury indictment
returned on Nov. 29, 2004. Wolniewicz
has posted $75,000 bail and is scheduled
to be sentenced by Judge Petrolle on July
1. Wolniewicz faces up to 15 years in
state prison and a fine of up to $165,000.
Director McKoy noted that the incident,
investigated by the Attorney General’s
Shooting Response Team, occurred at the
Exit 15-E toll plaza, New Jersey Turnpike,
Newark, Essex County, in the early afternoon
of Wed., April 22, 2003. The investigation
determined that State Trooper Mark Kepenis,
while patrolling northbound on the New
Jersey Turnpike, observed a 2002 C240
Mercedes-Benz traveling at a high rate
of speed. Trooper Kepenis activated the
patrol
vehicle’s emergency lights and attempted
to stop the vehicle. The Mercedes failed
to pull over and exited the Turnpike at
the 15-E Interchange. Trooper Kepenis
drove through the 15-E toll plaza, positioned
the State Police patrol vehicle in front
of the toll plaza and exited the patrol
vehicle. The Mercedes failed to stop after
going through the toll plaza and continued
in the direction of Trooper Kepenis. After
being struck by the vehicle, Trooper Kepenis
fired four shots from his issued 9mm service
weapon. As a result of the confrontation,
Wolniewicz sustained a gunshot wound to
the head and injuries related to the crash
of the vehicle.
The Attorney General’s Shooting
Response Team determined that Trooper
Kepenis was justified in the use of deadly
force. The prosecution was coordinated
by Deputy Attorney General Steven B. Farman,
assigned to the Division of Criminal Justice
Shooting Response Team.
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