Vernon teen dies after crash involving police officer

The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office is investigating a fatal motor vehicle crash that occurred Monday, May 27 in Franklin.

Deanna Noelle “Dee Dee” D’Arco of Vernon died two days later from injuries she suffered in the collision. She was 19.

According to the preliminary investigation, an on-duty Franklin police officer, operating a department vehicle, was involved in a collision with another vehicle near the intersection of Route 23 and Walsh Road. The crash occurred about 10:41 a.m., the Attorney General’s office said.

A female passenger in the other vehicle had life-threatening injuries and was taken to Morristown Medical Center for treatment. She died Wednesday, May 29.

The male driver of that vehicle was treated and released.

The officer had non-life-threatening injuries.

While the Attorney General’s office said their identities had not been released, D’Arco’s family said she was the passenger.

Her obituary says she was a teacher’s assistant at Little Learners Academy in Jefferson. She graduated in 2021 from the Youth Corps in Newton.

She is survived by her parents, Steven and Kacy; her brother, Dominic; and her grandparents, Joe and Pat D’Arco and Russell and Judy Burgess.

A funeral Mass was scheduled at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday June 5 at St. Bonaventure R.C. Church, 174 Ramsey St., Paterson.

Organ donor

D’arco’s organs were donated, according to a GoFundMe page started by Arianna Carver and Darian Carver, her boyfriend.

During a ceremony Friday, May 31 outside Morristown Medical Center to raise an NJ Sharing Network flag in honor of D’Arco, a hospital staff member said, ”Deanna is truly a hero. And though her time here on Earth was too short, her legacy will live on forever. ... Judging by how many people are here today honoring her, it is evident how loved Deanna truly is by all.”

Her family described her as strong, strong-willed, kind and a real firecracker.

The Sharing Network coordinates organ donations in the state.

A state law 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 a person is in custody. It requires that all investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer involved.

The investigation is ongoing.