New Jersey Traffic Control Officer Fatally Struck by Vehicle Driven by Police Sergeant

An off-duty Newark police sergeant fatally struck a city traffic control officer who was monitoring traffic early Thursday morning following an event at the Prudential Center, authorities said.

The crash, which occurred about 12:44 a.m., killed Newark Traffic Control Officer Jairo Rodriguez, 53, city officials told NJ.com .

Rodriguez, a husband and father who has worked for the police department since 2022, was taken to University Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 1:37 a.m., officials said.

A spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said the driver, an off-duty city police sergeant, remained at the scene. The prosecutor’s office said they were not releasing the police sergeant’s name since the investigation is active.