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“The profound sadness shared by people all across District 40 has not mitigated since this senseless tragedy, since we all lost a true local hero and his family lost their beloved son,” said state Sen. Kevin O’Toole, one of the co-sponsors.
Waldwick Police Officer Christopher Goodell
“This act can instill the lasting honor that Christopher deserves in memory of his selfless service and sacrifices for us all,” he said.
Goodell was working a radar detail in his unmarked cruiser, parked on the shoulder of southbound Route 17, when it was struck by an 18-wheeler driven by a Brooklyn trucker the morning of July 17.
The impact instantly killed him, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said.
The trucker responsible remained free today on $25,000 bail, charged with vehicular homicide.
Goodell, 32, joined the U.S. Marine Corps after being graduated from Waldwick High School in 2000. He served with the Waldwick Police Department for five years and was recently honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s New Jersey chapter for outstanding efforts in drunk driving enforcement.
Survived by his parents and fiancee, Goodell was “an outstanding and proactive officer,” Waldwick Police Chief Mark Messner said.
“Words cannot describe the remorse everyone feels over the tragic loss of Officer Goodell,” said Assemblymen David Russo, another co-sponsor. “He was the epitome of selfless public service. Commemorating his name is one way no one will ever forget the honor with which he served.”
“Officer Goodell’s life was marked by service,” added co-sponsor Scott Rumana.
“Whether putting himself in harm’s way in the military or serving as a police officer, his life was dedicated to protecting others,” Rumana said. “His dedication to keeping us safe will never be forgotten as we fittingly pay tribute to a fallen hero.”
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