A state grand jury has declined to bring criminal charges against seven law enforcement officers from Island Heights, Toms River, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office in connection with the April 2024 death of John Cassidy, a 47-year-old Toms River resident who died after an encounter with police during an attempted arrest.
The decision, announced Monday by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, follows a months-long investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) under procedures established by the state’s Independent Prosecutor Directive of 2019. The directive mandates independent investigations into all deaths involving police encounters and requires findings to be presented to a grand jury.
After reviewing body camera footage, surveillance video, police radio transmissions, autopsy results, and medical records, the grand jury voted “no bill” on October 20, concluding that no criminal charges were warranted against any of the officers involved.
According to investigators, the fatal encounter began around 1:00 p.m. on April 19, 2024, when Island Heights Police Officers Peter Muscarella, Dominique D’Amico-Violante, and Lt. Paul Rutledge stopped Cassidy at a Route 37 gas station in Toms River to serve outstanding warrants. Cassidy allegedly ignored repeated commands to remain outside his vehicle and re-entered it, refusing to exit for more than 25 minutes despite multiple verbal attempts by officers to de-escalate the situation.
After efforts to persuade him failed, officers broke the passenger-side window, unlocked the car, and forcibly removed Cassidy from the vehicle. Toms River Officers Anthony Pacella, Krzysztof Kowalczyk, Sgt. Shan Ruiz, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Sgt. Anthony Pereira assisted in handcuffing Cassidy.
Shortly after being restrained, Cassidy suffered a medical emergency. Police administered aid until emergency medical personnel arrived, and he was transported to Community Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 2:25 p.m.
An autopsy by the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death natural, citing “hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and morbid obesity” as the cause.
Under New Jersey law, any death involving law enforcement must be investigated independently and presented to a grand jury to assess potential criminal liability. The jurors are instructed on possible charges — including criminal homicide — and legal justifications such as self-defense or the use of force during lawful arrests.
The OPIA’s review found no conflicts of interest among investigators, and the findings were later vetted by the office’s executive director before being presented to the jury. The investigation followed the office’s 2021 standard operating procedures, designed to ensure neutrality and transparency in cases involving law enforcement.
With the grand jury process now complete, OPIA will refer the case for an administrative review by the relevant law enforcement agencies in accordance with the Attorney General’s Internal Affairs Policy and Procedures, a step meant to determine whether departmental or procedural reforms are warranted.
