A Cranford police officer with more than two decades on the force is facing driving-while-intoxicated and hit-and-run charges after a single-vehicle crash early Saturday, Sept. 5, and has been suspended from duty pending an investigation. Patrolman Nelson W. Hearns Jr. was driving a silver 2019 Mercedes-Benz four-door when the crash happened around 12:27 a.m. at Centennial Avenue and South Avenue in Cranford.
Cranford Police Chief Matthew Nazzaro confirmed to Patch that officers responded to the crash just before 12:30 a.m. and that the arrest stemmed from driving while intoxicated and other motor vehicle offenses, while noting the investigation remains ongoing. Officer Timothy Handy issued Hearns three separate tickets, according to Daily Voice: operating under the influence of liquor or drugs, leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage, and failure to report an accident. Court records cited by the outlet indicate the offenses involved no death, no personal injury, and no serious injury.
Cranford Police Lieutenant Spencer Dirkin confirmed the crash and the charges filed but declined to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation, per the same Daily Voice report. Because the case involves a local officer, it was transferred on Sept. 9 from Cranford Municipal Court to Winfield Township Municipal Court. Under N.J.S.A. 2B:25-5, an alternative or substitute municipal prosecutor may be used when a conflict exists, according to Justia Law. Hearns is scheduled for a virtual court appearance at 5 p.m. on Oct. 14, the report notes.
What Hearns Could Face Under State Law
New Jersey treats DUI as a traffic violation rather than a criminal offense, which means Hearns will face municipal penalties rather than state prison time. Under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50, a first-offense DUI conviction carries statutory penalties; the article cites FindLaw.
The leaving-the-scene charge carries its own separate exposure. Under N.J.S.A. 39:4-129(b), a first-offense conviction for leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage brings a fine of $200 to $400, up to 30 days in jail, two motor vehicle points, and a mandatory six-month license suspension, per Lubiner Schmidt and Palumbo. It remains unknown whether breathalyzer or blood testing was administered in Hearns's case, and what blood alcohol concentration, if any, was recorded.
A Two-Decade Career on the Cranford Force
Hearns, a Cranford native, has served with the department since December 2002, graduated from Cranford High School in 1995, and earned a bachelor's degree in sociology with a minor in criminal justice from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2000, according to Daily Voice. He was assigned to the patrol division and served as a field training officer starting in 2021.
His record on the job includes moments that made local headlines for very different reasons. In 2014 he helped deliver a baby, and departmental records show he conducted an arrest for motor vehicle theft and burglary as recently as January 2022, according to the Cranford Police Department. That same year, Hearns was recognized by New Jersey 101.5's Blue Friday program after he and two fellow officers administered CPR and used an Automated External Defibrillator to revive a 53-year-old Cranford resident who had gone into cardiac arrest, according to New Jersey 101.5.
Department Oversight and What Comes Next
Cranford Mayor Kathleen Prunty is identified in available sources. The article also mentions traffic enforcement and impairment-testing equipment, including Alcotest breathalyzers; Hoodline has previously examined statewide related spending.
If Hearns's internal affairs case results in a suspension longer than five days, it would eventually be subject to state reporting rules. Under New Jersey Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive 2022-14, agencies must publicly report and publish annual summaries of internal affairs disciplinary actions that meet that threshold, according to the New Jersey Office of Attorney General. Whether the current investigation into Hearns will lead to major discipline covered by that directive is not yet known. NJ Advance Media reported the incident first, and the available court records list property-damage charges.
