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STORY / PHOTOS: Mary K. Miraglia, CLIFFVIEW PILOT Courthouse Reporter
“You’re here for a first appearance. This is not a trial. So anything you may want to say, you should save for later,” Central Municipal Presiding Judge Roy W. Mc Geady told Michael Ettz, 36.
Authorities moved the appearance to the central municipal court because Lodi Municipal Court Judge Tracie Nunno D’Amico — who is married to Lodi High School Principal Frank D’Amico — recused herself to remove any appearance of a potential conflict. Pleas are entered in state Superior Court.
Ettz, of Lodi, remained free on $150,000 bail, which he posted Saturday afternoon in Lodi after being released into police custody from Hackensack University Medical Center.
Still in critical but stable condition at HUMC this afternoon was Breslin, 39, a married father of two.
BCPD Officer Daniel Breslin (CRASH PHOTO: Property CLIFFVIEW PILOT; Inset: Courtesy BCPD)
Ettz, who recently had his license suspended for 240 days for a DWI conviction out of Clifton, is charged with aggravated assault, DWI and leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injury. He also received several summonses following the 1:50 a.m. crash.
Breslin had stopped his SUV in the right lane of the highway, with its lights flashing, to block traffic from hitting a county police car stopped on the right shoulder, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said.
The other officer was having radio problems, the prosecutor explained.
Ettz’s four-door 2012 Ford Fusion into Breslin’s SUV, trapping the officer, who had to be extricated, the prosecutor said.
Ettz then tried to make a run for it after being pulled from his car but was caught by a Lodi police sergeant, he said.
Breslin sustained a “significant head injury” and was brought to surgery with a skull fracture and bleeding after a CAT scan was done following the 1:50 a.m. crash, Molinelli said.
He also sustained several broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
Lodi school officials said Ettz will be suspended with pay tomorrow pending the outcome of the case.
Breslin’s family, meanwhile, said they had reason to be encouraged after his condition stabilized yesterday.
A YouCaring.com fund has been established for the Breslins.
CLICK HERE: Please support the Breslin family
Strong law enforcement presence at today’s court appearance
(STORY / PHOTOS: Mary K. Miraglia, CLIFFVIEW PILOT Courthouse Reporter)
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YOU READ IT HERE FIRST: A Lodi math teacher and athletic coach posted $150,000 bail and was released from borough headquarters on a variety of criminal charges following what Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said was a drunk driving crash on westbound Route 46 overnight that critically injured BCPD Officer Daniel Breslin. READ MORE ….
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