NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—On February 21, a 10-year-old girl was seriously injured after being was struck by a police vehicle operated by Middlesex County Sheriff’s Officer Kevin Comiskey, according to a report on New Brunswick’s Patch.com.

Comiskey makes $75,562 and has been with the sheriff’s department since 2005.

Wendy Rodriguez was on Throop Avenue, walking home from an after-school program, when she ran across Suydam Street in a marked crosswalk and was struck by the officer’s sport utility vehicle that failed to yield.

However, no summonses were issued by city police officers who responded to the scene and the county government has been silent about the accident until today.  Those police report was prepared by patrolman Raymond Hansen and reviewed by Sgt. William Oels III

In response to reporting by Patch.com’s Jennifer Bradshaw, Middlesex County Sheriff Millie Scott confirmed that “an accident occurred between a Sheriff’s vehicle and a young pedestrian.”

“The Sheriff said there is an internal investigation into the matter,” read a statement by county spokeswoman Stacey Bersani.  “There is no further comment.”

According to the police report obtained by New Brunswick’s Patch.com, “Rodriguez struck the side of the car, hitting her face against the driver’s side mirror and getting her legs caught under the vehicle.”

An EMS dispatcher directed an ambulance to the scene at 5:09 pm, according to emergency radio transmissions.

“Ambulance 7-8 in New Brunswick.  Suydam and Throop for the pedestrian who hit a car,” says a female voice that sounds put off by the turn of phrase.

Within a minute, a second dispatcher sends Hansen and patrolman Michael Phommathep to the scene.

“Can you go over to Suydam and Throop?  EMS is already en route.  A female was was running into the street, and ran into the side of the sherriff’s officer’s van.  She has a bloody nose and her leg hurts.  They want an officer there.”

Rodriguez’s leg was, in fact, broken.  She was treated and fitted for a cast at St. Peter’s Hospital, according to the article, and has not yet returned to school.

According to the police report, a witness named Ronniell Garcia said that Rodriguez “darted across the street without waiting.”

Garcia was the only witness interviewed not involved in the accident.

Correction: An earlier version of this story reported the sheriff’s vehicle was a van.  It was a Dodge Durango sport utility vehicle.

Editor at New Brunswick Today | 732-993-9697 | editor@newbrunswicktoday.com | Website

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.