Watch CBS News

NJ State Troopers Charged In High-Speed Escort

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Two New Jersey state troopers face criminal charges and four others face disciplinary actions after officials said they jeopardized public safety escorting luxury high-speed sports cars.

WCBS 880's Levon Putney On The Story

Podcast

Sgt. 1st Class Nadir Nassry and Trooper Joseph Ventrella are charged with tampering with public records. They're accused of using tape to change their license plates before escorting the cars at high speeds down the Garden State Parkway in March.

Nassry also is accused of telling the other drivers to conceal their plates.

Attorney General Jeff Chiesa said no one is above the law.

Charles Sciarra, Nassry's attorney, has said his client denies any knowledge of plate taping.

Nassry and Ventrella were suspended without pay in April after witnesses said they saw the caravan speeding down the Garden State Parkway escorted by two state police cars.

Witnesses said that the state police patrol cars — with emergency lights flashing — were driving in front of and behind the caravan, which included Porsches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris at speeds of more than 100 mph.

The caravan was from the "Driving Force Club," whose members include former New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, CBS 2 reported.

Some dubbed the incident "Death Race 2012″ but there were no injuries or accidents as the exotic cars sped to Atlantic City and back to North Jersey.

Another trooper is accused of improper conduct related to the handling of a ticket to the driver of a Lamborghini who was stopped doing 116 mph in a 65 mph zone on the parkway.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.