TRENTON — The Attorney General’s Office today identified the cyclist who died after being involved in a collision with a New Jersey State Police (NJSP) vehicle on February 5, 2024, in Hackettstown, New Jersey. The civilian who died during the encounter has been identified as Raul L. Diaz, 59, of Long Valley, New Jersey.

According to the preliminary investigation, shortly after 6 a.m., Sergeant First Class Kesene Grier of the NJSP, in an unmarked police SUV, collided with a cyclist, later identified as Mr. Diaz, on Willow Grove Street in the area of Brook Hollow Drive in Hackettstown. Mr. Diaz was transported to Hackettstown Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased at 7:17 a.m. The circumstances leading to and surrounding this crash are under investigation.

The investigation is being conducted pursuant to Attorney General Directive 2019-4, which implements the statutory requirement that the Attorney General’s Office conduct the investigation of any death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody, and which establishes clear standards and procedures for conducting such investigations.

The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.