A state grand jury has voted not to file any criminal charges against a West Deptford police officer at the conclusion of its deliberations regarding a motor-vehicle collision that resulted in the death of Jose M. Martinez, 42, of Lindenwold, New Jersey, in West Deptford on November 9, 2025.
Mr. Martinez’s death was investigated by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) and presented to New Jersey residents serving on the grand jury in accordance with the Independent Prosecutor Directive of 2019, which was issued following the enactment of a state law requiring the Office of the Attorney General to investigate deaths that occur during an encounter with law enforcement.
The investigation included witness interviews, photographs, radio transmissions, vehicle digital forensics, review of video footage from police dashboard cameras, body-worn cameras, and third-party surveillance cameras, as well as autopsy results from a medical examiner. This evidence, including video of the incident, was presented to a state grand jury. After hearing the testimony and evidence, the grand jury finished deliberating on June 1, 2026, and voted “no bill,” concluding that no criminal charges should be filed against West Deptford Patrolman Conor Goggin.
According to the investigation, at approximately 6:00 p.m., officers from the West Deptford Police Department responded to a call received through police dispatch reporting two apparently intoxicated males. Patrolman Goggin was operating a marked police vehicle when he activated his emergency lights in an attempt to stop a car matching the description of the vehicle described on the call. The driver of that car, George Linard, 24, sped off at a high speed. The speeding car disregarded a traffic signal and proceeded into the intersection of Hessian and Red Bank Avenues. The speeding car then collided with another car, driven by Mr. Martinez and occupied by a rear seat passenger. Mr. Martinez (also known as Jose M. Martinez-Peguero) was killed in the crash and his passenger sustained a leg fracture.
The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office (GCPO) is prosecuting Mr. Linard. He was previously identified in a complaint-warrant issued by the GCPO by another name, based on a driver’s license that he provided. However, as alleged by the GCPO, this license was fraudulent. A Gloucester County grand jury indicted Linard on two counts of aggravated manslaughter (1st degree), eluding (2nd degree), death by auto (2nd degree), four counts of aggravated assault (2nd degree), and one count of fraudulent possession of a government license (4th degree).
The charges and allegations against Linard are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Footage related to this crash, recorded by a dashboard camera and a third-party surveillance camera, were previously released and are posted online at https://njoag.box.com/s/xo8ue398irhu6xangjhi35hpwf27o4sf.
N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107(a)(2), requires the Attorney General’s Office to conduct investigations of a person’s 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. It requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the involved officers. The grand jury is instructed on the elements of the potential criminal offenses, including criminal homicide offenses, that could be brought and, as required by statutes, the grand jury is instructed on self-defense and other forms of legal justification.
A conflicts check was conducted pursuant to the Independent Prosecutor Directive and no actual or potential conflicts of interest were found involving any individual assigned to the investigation. Prior to presentation to the grand jury, the investigation was reviewed by Deputy First Assistant General Nicholas Kormann in accordance with the policies and procedures established for these presentations.
Now that the investigation has concluded, pursuant to the Independent Prosecutor Directive and SOPs, OPIA will determine whether any officer should be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency for administrative review in accordance with the AG’s Internal Affairs Policy & Procedures. OPIA will monitor any resulting review and take such actions as are necessary to ensure that the review is completed in a timely fashion, and that appropriate actions are taken based on the results of the review.
Further information about how fatal police encounters are investigated in New Jersey under the Independent Prosecutor Directive can be found here.–