A former Edison police officer pleaded guilty last week to vehicular homicide charges after two passengers in the car he was driving while intoxicated died in a crash last August, officials from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office announced Tuesday.
Amitoj Oberoi, 30, of Somerset, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree vehicular homicide on June 18. Oberoi faces 15 years in prison and must serve 85% of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole under the No Early Release Act.
Oberoi was originally charged with two counts each of aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving after the car he was operating on Aug. 27, 2023 veered off Route 27 at 6:22 a.m., clipping several trees and lampposts before hitting a utility pole, authorities said.
Oberoi’s attorney said Tuesday that prosecutors agreed to throw out the two counts of aggravated manslaughter and other lesser charges Oberoi was originally facing in the negotiated plea deal.
Investigators said Oberoi’s blood alcohol level was over the legal limit when he was driving at a high rate of speed on Route 27 in Franklin Township and lost control of the vehicle. Two passengers in the backseat, Carlos Perez-Gaytan, 24, of Somerset, and Victor Cabrera-Francisco, 20, of North Brunswick, were killed in the crash.
Oberoi’s attorney Robert Scrivo said that Oberoi knew the families of the victims well and deeply regretted what happened.
“They embraced outside the courtroom afterwards,” Scrivo said about Oberoi and the victims’ families. “He did not want to put those families through a trial, and he thought the best decision was to put an end to this process.”
Scrivo said that the circumstances in this case were a tragic, momentary lapse in judgement for someone he said has otherwise lead a positive life. The two people killed in the incident were younger brothers of friends and family Oberoi knew well, Scrivo said.
“The whole situation is awful,” Scrivo added. “He shows tremendous remorse and his heart goes out to the victims’ families.”
After Oberoi’s arrest, Edison’s Mayor Sam Joshi said the township would move to fire him as a police officer given the “egregious nature of the charges.” Joshi did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday.
Oberoi’s sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 14 before Judge Jonathan W. Romankow.
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Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X.
