2017/09/30
CARTERET – Carteret Police Officer Joseph Reiman, the brother of Mayor Dan Reiman, has been indicted in connection with assaulting and causing injury to a teenager during an arrest earlier this year.
A police dash cam video of the May 31, 2017 incident showed the teen repeatedly being hit after he exited his vehicle. Reiman, while on top of the teen, punched the teen several times with a closed fist, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Afterward an ambulance was not called to the scene. Instead, the teenager, a 16-year-old boy, was placed in a patrol car.
Reiman, 31, was charged with one count of aggravated assault in the third degree and three counts of official misconduct in the second degree for assaulting the teenager, failing to activate his body-worn camera, and failing to use reasonable discretion or restraint in the amount of force used to apprehend the teenager, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey.
The indictment was handed up Thursday following a presentation to the grand jury by Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Christine D’Elia.
Reiman was indicted following an investigation by Detective Andreea Zebib of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, and Capt. Michael Dammann of the Carteret Police Department.
Reiman was on official duty in a patrol car pursuing the teen drive, who crashed his car into a utility pole guide wire, in the area of Edwin and Bergen streets, and the airbags deployed, according to the investigation.
The teen suffered significant bodily injury. Facebook photos showed the teen suffered a swollen left eye and bloodied face with cuts and scrapes. The boy told his attorney he was kicked in the face and jaw by police.
“The officer will have his day in court just like anyone else,” said Mayor Dan Reiman, adding the indictment was not unexpected because the grand jury only hears the prosecutor’s office side the case.
“They can indict a ham sandwich,” Reiman said.
He said Joseph Reiman, who has been a Carteret police officer for two years, is one of the department’s best officers, a decorated Marine Corp veteran who has served three tours of duty.
“He’s very well trained,” Mayor Reiman said.
The mayor questioned where are the charges against the teen who ran through several stop signs at a high speed before crashing head-on with his face going through the windshield.
“Where are those charges?” said the mayor, adding the teen also will have his day in court.
Mayor Reiman said based on the video he expects his younger brother to be found not guilty.
Charles Sciarra, Reiman’s attorney, has said his client didn’t use anything but “trained, permissible force” to suppress the teen.
Joseph Reiman was placed on unpaid administrative leave in June after the charges were filed. Mayor Reiman said the issue of pay went to arbitration and his brother is now suspended with pay pending the outcome of the case. Sciarra has said he will vigorously defend the charges.