Executive Summary
- A New Jersey grand jury voted “no bill,” clearing Staff Sgt. Nicholas Pryszlak of criminal charges.
- The investigation utilized video evidence, toxicology reports, and automated iPhone crash data.
- Investigators determined the trooper had terminated the high-speed pursuit prior to the fatal crash.
- The decedent was estimated to be traveling at 104 mph when he lost control of the vehicle.
A grand jury in New Jersey has voted not to file criminal charges against a State Trooper following an investigation into a fatal October 2024 crash in Hunterdon County, according to the Attorney General’s Office. The decision marks the conclusion of a mandatory probe into the death of 20-year-old Scott Segreaves Jr., who died after a vehicular pursuit involving the officer.
On December 15, the state grand jury returned a “no bill,” determining that no criminal charges should be filed against Staff Sgt. Nicholas Pryszlak. The Attorney General’s Office confirmed that the investigation involved a comprehensive review of body-worn camera footage, motor vehicle recorder video, third-party surveillance, dispatch audio, and toxicology reports.
Investigators established that the incident began at approximately 10:24 p.m. on October 18, 2024, when Staff Sgt. Pryszlak attempted to stop Segreaves for suspected speeding on Water Street in Milford. According to official reports, the trooper pursued the vehicle onto Route 29 and subsequently Stamets Road, reaching speeds of 73 mph with emergency lights and sirens activated.
Approximately 45 seconds into the pursuit on Stamets Road, Pryszlak reportedly lost sight of the suspect vehicle. The investigation found that the trooper deactivated his lights and sirens and slowed to approximately 23 mph to canvas the area. While the trooper searched the vicinity, Segreaves continued driving at high speeds.
Forensic analysis determined that around 10:26 p.m., Segreaves entered a curve on Stamets Road at approximately 104 mph, losing control of the vehicle. The car left the roadway, struck several trees, and overturned down an embankment. Pryszlak, unaware of the crash, drove past the scene minutes later. Authorities were eventually alerted to the incident by an automated crash detection message from the driver’s iPhone at 10:28 p.m., leading officers to the site where Segreaves was pronounced dead.
Investigative Oversight
This case highlights the procedural role of the Attorney General’s Office in New Jersey, which is mandated by state law to investigate any death occurring during an encounter with a law enforcement officer. The reliance on telematics data, such as automated smartphone crash alerts, alongside traditional dashboard camera footage, proved critical in establishing the timeline of the pursuit and the subsequent crash. The grand jury’s return of a “no bill” signifies that, based on the evidence presented, there was insufficient cause to proceed with a criminal indictment against the officer involved.
