Instead, Ryon Cumberbatch, 31, will appear in in Waldwick Municipal Court to answer to traffic summons.
WALDWICK - A Bergen County grand jury on Tuesday declined to indict a truck driver for vehicular manslaughter in the death of a police officer more than a year ago.
Instead, Ryon Cumberbatch, 31, will appear in Waldwick Municipal Court to answer to traffic tickets charging him with reckless driving and failure to maintain a proper lane, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli stated in a news release.
Cumberbatch was driving a 2012 Freightliner 18-wheeler on Route 17 South when he slammed into an unmarked patrol car about 1:30 a.m. on July 17, 2014.
The accident killed Police Officer Christopher Goodell, who was in the car running radar on the highway near Bergen Avenue, authorities said at the time.
Goodell, 32, died of head injuries.
The patrol car's emergency lights were not on when the crash occurred.
Molinelli stated he was "disappointed" by the grand jury's decision not to indict Cumberbatch, and offered condolences to the officer's family and associates.
"On what must be a very difficult day and time of year, our prayers and thoughts are with them all," Molinelli said.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.