Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed After New Jersey Teen Dies in Crash Involving Police SUV
The family of a 19-year-old Sussex County woman who died following a crash involving a Franklin Borough police vehicle has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the officer involved and the borough where he serves.
The lawsuit was filed in Superior Court in Sussex County on May 15 and centers around the death of Deanna “Dee Dee” D’Arco of Vernon. D’Arco was a passenger in a Honda Prelude that collided with a marked Franklin Borough Police SUV driven by Sgt. William Grissom on May 27, 2024.
According to court filings, the crash happened around 10:41 a.m. at the intersection of Route 23 and Walsh Street in Franklin Borough. D’Arco suffered serious injuries in the collision and was first taken to Newton Medical Center before later being transferred to Morristown Medical Center. She died two days later on May 29.
The lawsuit claims Sgt. Grissom was not responding to an emergency call at the time of the crash and that the police vehicle’s emergency lights and siren were not activated. The family alleges the officer was driving at an unsafe speed for the traffic and roadway conditions in the area.
Court documents accuse the officer of negligence and reckless conduct, while also arguing that Franklin Borough and its police department should be held legally responsible for the actions connected to the crash.
The complaint further claims the roadway conditions near the intersection were dangerous for drivers. Attorneys for the family stated that traffic in the area had only recently started moving again after restrictions related to a local parade had been lifted.
An investigation conducted by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office previously found that the Honda Prelude was exiting a grocery store parking lot and entered the roadway from behind other vehicles shortly before the collision occurred. State investigators reported that Sgt. Grissom was traveling between 38 and 40 miles per hour at the time of the incident.
Authorities said the officer contacted dispatch immediately after the crash, assisted in removing the passenger-side door of the vehicle, and stayed at the scene directing traffic until emergency responders and backup units arrived.
After reviewing the case, a state grand jury decided not to indict Sgt. Grissom.
Despite that decision, the lawsuit argues that the officer failed to slow down appropriately and did not properly anticipate vehicles entering the roadway in that section of Route 23. The family is also claiming that borough officials allowed unsafe traffic conditions to continue in the area where the collision happened.
Officials from Franklin Borough and Sgt. Grissom had not publicly responded to requests for comment at the time the lawsuit became public.
D’Arco was remembered by family and friends as a caring and compassionate young woman. According to her obituary, she worked as a teacher’s assistant at Little Learners Academy in Jefferson Township. She had also completed the Youth Corps program in Newton in 2021, a program designed for young adults who left high school before graduation.
Her family described her as someone deeply connected to animals and known for her kind and nurturing personality.
Sources:
New Jersey Attorney General’s Office
Sussex County Superior Court Records
Family Obituary Information
