2024 Fatal Crash Reports and Charges Filed
Charlie Kratovil made this OPRA request to Old Bridge Township as part of a batch sent to 14 authorities Automatic anti-spam measures are in place for this older request. Please let us know if a further response is expected or if you are having trouble responding.
Dear Old Bridge Township,
Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA, Title 39, and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-6(f), which states that an email from a requestor including all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government record request.
I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.
I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.
Records requested: Copies of all crash reports and criminal complaints related to fatal crashes that occurred in the year 2024 and were investigated by municipal police.
My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.
Yours faithfully,
Charlie Kratovil
Dear Old Bridge Township,
Please confirm if you received my request titled "2024 Fatal Crash Reports and Charges Filed." What is the status of this request?
Yours faithfully,
Charlie Kratovil
OPRA-Req-25-0009
Date Received: 1/3/2025
Status: Received
Applicant: Charlie Kratovil
Information Requested: Records requested: Copies of all crash
reports and criminal complaints related to fatal crashes that
occurred in the year 2024 and were investigated by municipal
police.
Please accept this electronic request for public records made
under OPRA, Title 39, and the common law right of access. I am not
required to fill out an official for m or use a particular
software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-6(f), which
states that an email from a requestor including all of the
information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of
a completed form as a valid government record request.
I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws
of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial
purpose.
I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.
My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by
E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this
request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward
my request to that person and provide their email address to me
for future reference.
RESPONSE:
Date Received: 1/3/2025
Status: Received
Applicant: Charlie Kratovil
Information Requested: Records requested: Copies of all crash
report s and criminal complaints related to fatal crashes that
occurred in the year 2024 and were investigated by municipal
police.
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:4-131, Donatio v. Jersey City Police
Department (GRC Complaint No. 2005-251) and Township Ordinance
Chapter 160-11, the fees for Motor Vehicle Accident Reports is
$5.00 (Five dollars) per report.
PAYMENT AND RESPONSE REQUEST:
Please remit payment of $30 for the TJTR-1 Crash reports.
6 reports @$5.00=$30.00.
Options to make payment are as follows:
A: Mail check (not cash) to:
ATTN: Township Clerk
One Old Bridge Plaza
Old Bridge, NJ 08857
Make Check payable to Old Bridge Township.
Please include the name, address and OPRA # number as shown above.
B: Come into Town Hall Clerk's Office and pay by cash or check.
Once payment is received you will receive your MVA report.
If your request for access to a government record has been denied
or unfilled within the seven (7) business days required by law,
you have a right to challenge the decision by the Township of Old
Bridge to deny access. At your option, you may either institute a
proceeding in the Superior Court of New Jersey or file a complaint
with the Government Records Council (GRC) by completing the Denial
of Access Complaint Form. You may contact the GRC by toll-free
telephone at 866-850-0511, by mail at P.O. Box 819, Trenton, NJ,
08625, by e-mail at [email address], or at their web site at
www.state.nj.us/grc. The GRC can also answer other questions about
the law. All questions regarding complaints filed in Superior
Court should be directed to the Court Clerk in your County.
Spatial Data Logic 2022
Dear Old Bridge Township,
Please clarify that you are referring to NJ-TR1 reports (not TJ-TR1 as stated in the response). Are they redacted or unredacted? Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Charlie Kratovil
Dear Ms. Jacus,
Thanks for the quick reply. Would you be willing to waive the fees? I am a reporter covering traffic fatalities in Middlesex County. Please advise, thanks.
Yours sincerely,
Charlie Kratovil
Unfortunately, we are unable to waive the fees, see below:
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:4-131, Donatio v. Jersey City Police Department (GRC Complaint No. 2005-251) and Township Ordinance Chapter 160-11, the fees for Motor Vehicle Accident Reports is $5.00 (Five dollars) per report.
Dear Ms. Jacus,
Right, but that's only if I don't pick up the reports in person. I am not going to mail a check, so I'll have to come in person anyway. What is the cost if I pick up the records in person? That's probably more work for everyone but I'll get the records quicker. Please let me know the hours that I can pick up the records (and the cost).
Yours sincerely,
Charlie Kratovil
The final cost is $30.00, 6 reports@$5, check or exact cash only.
You can pick the information up anytime between 8:30 and 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.
It is ready to be picked up.
Dear Ms. Jacus,
At this point, I will have to make my request in person. According to Old Bridge ordinance, "In-person requests for physical copies of reports shall be charged pursuant to the fees established in N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5b."
Please let me know how many pages we are talking about and I will bring the correct amount to pay for the fees established in NJSA 47:1A-5b. Additionally, please email the criminal complaints to me.
Yours sincerely,
Charlie Kratovil
Dear Old Bridge Township,
I am planning to take a trip to Old Bridge to make an in-person request on Friday. In between now and then, I hope you will review the case that you cited to me: Donato* v. Jersey City Police Department (GRC Complaint No. 2005-251).
https://www.nj.gov/grc/decisions/pdf/Don...
You'll find that the GRC's ruling makes it clear you are only allowed to charge the $5 "to cover the administrative costs of mailing the reports..." I will simply make my request in person and Old Bridge will be legally limited to charging the OPRA rates. If Old Bridge is violating the law and charging everyone $5 for crash reports, even when they are requested and received in person, then we have a bigger problem.
Please confirm if Old Bridge will honor my in-person request without charging the $5 administrative fees.
Yours faithfully,
Charlie Kratovil
The request is ready for review, anytime between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm.
The cost of copies would be 5 cents per page @23 pages for a total charge of $1.15, check or exact change.
Good Morning, Mr. Kratovil,
The 23 pages of records the Township holds will be at a cost of 5cents per page for a total cost of $1.15.
Thank you.
Kate Hutchinson
Township Clerk
Township of Old Bridge
Thomas J. English
Administration Building
One Old Bridge Plaza
Old Bridge, New Jersey 08857
Phone: 732.721.5600 x2200
E-mail: [email address]