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Jakub M. Szostak, 24, was off duty when he got into the crash in the early morning hours of June 2 after leaving the Poitin Still tavern, the prosecutor said. Moments later, 30-year-old Eric M. Mark pulled up in his police cruiser. Mark, who was on duty, had spoken with Szostak outside the bar just a short time earlier, Molinelli said.
Instead of doing the right thing, Mark didn’t give Szostak a sobriety test — and reported the crash as a hit and run, he said. Szostak then lied on his insurance claim and received a payout, Molinelli added.
City officials suspended both in July for “personnel” reasons, without elaborating. The pair only began working for the city in January after graduating from the county police academy.
The officers, both from Hackensack, are charged with falsifying records. Szostak is also charged with insurance fraud. Both are looking at up to 18 months in prison, with a possible additional five for Szostak, if they go to trial and are convicted. Initial court appearances are scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday in Central Municipal Court at the Bergen County Courthouse in Hackensack.
Members of Molinelli’s Confidential Investigations Unit, under the direction of Chief Steven Cucciniello, handled the case.
A designated monitor from Molinelli’s office has been reviewing the day-to-day operations of the city department since April, after Chief Charles “Ken” Zisa was suspended following charges of covering up a DWI accident his ex-girlfriend had. She later used the false report to file an insurance claim.
A month later, Zisa and one of his detectives were charged with not filing charges against the woman’s son after he was involved in a mugging.
City Police Capt. Tomas Padilla has been running the department since Zisa’s suspension.
CLIFFVIEWPILOT.COM BROKE THE STORY: Hackensack Police Chief Ken Zisa turned himself in to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Thursday night on charges of ordering a subordinate to file a false report to cover up a DWI accident his girlfriend had. FOR THE FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
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