Officer hurt in deadly wrong-way crash plans to sue city

LINDEN, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey police officer who survived a wrong-way crash that killed two other people plans to sue his city over its handling of the officer who was allegedly driving drunk at the time of the crash.

The attorney for Linden police Officer Patrik Kudlac has filed a tort claim notice over the handling of a 2011 drunken driving ticket issued to Officer Pedro Abad in Roselle. That case was dismissed.

The notice alleges negligence, fraud and/or official misconduct in Abad's 2011 case.

Authorities say Abad had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit at the time of the March 20 crash in New York City that injured Kudlac and killed two other passengers, including another Linden police officer.

Linden Mayor Derek Armstead told MyCentralJersey.com he questioned whether the suit will have merit because the accident occurred while Abad was off-duty.