Congressman provides new update on Officer Austin Kapurelos during WOND interview, calls for federal immigration enforcement after Friday's serious crash.
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP, N.J. — U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew said Monday that a Middle Township police officer critically injured by a suspected impaired driver is undergoing additional surgery, while the congressman confirmed his claim that the driver is in the United States illegally and has an active federal immigration detainer.
Speaking October 19 on The Don Williams Show on News Talk 1400 & 92.3 WOND, Van Drew said Patrolman Austin Kapurelos, 26, was scheduled for his third surgery Monday following the October 16 crash on Route 47.
The Republican congressman, who represents New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District, said he knows the officer and his family personally.
"He's going in for third surgery today," Van Drew told Williams.
"He just got married. I guess it was about maybe 10 days ago. He just got his job in Middle Township Police. He just bought a new home. He's beginning his life."
Van Drew described Kapurelos as fortunate to have survived the collision.
"He's lucky he's alive," the congressman said.
The congressman's comments represent a new development in a case that has drawn widespread concern for the injured officer and renewed debate over immigration enforcement in New Jersey.
Officer Seriously Injured During Traffic Stop
According to Middle Township police, Kapurelos was conducting a motor vehicle stop on Route 47 South, also known as Wildwood Boulevard, shortly after 10 p.m. Friday when another vehicle struck him.
Emergency personnel provided immediate assistance before transporting the officer to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center.
Police initially reported that Kapurelos was in critical but stable condition.
The driver, identified as Lucio Lopez-Perez, 36, of Erma, remained at the scene and was taken into custody on suspicion of impaired driving.
Authorities charged Lopez-Perez with driving while intoxicated, assault by auto, a public health and safety law violation resulting in serious bodily injury, and additional motor vehicle offenses.
He was lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Facility.
The Middle Township Police Department and Cape May County Prosecutor's Office are investigating the crash.
The charges are allegations, and Lopez-Perez is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Van Drew Says Driver Has Active ICE Detainer
Van Drew announced Sunday that he had confirmed Lopez-Perez's immigration status and the existence of an active detainer through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local officials.
During Monday's WOND interview, he repeated that claim.
"I confirmed with ICE yesterday, as you saw in our news release, that he indeed was an illegal alien with an active detainer," Van Drew said.
The congressman's October 18 statement also asserted that Lopez-Perez did not have a driver's license.
Those immigration-related claims have been publicly attributed to Van Drew. As of Monday, South Jersey NewsBeat had not obtained a separate statement from ICE or federal detention records independently establishing the driver's immigration status.
An ICE detainer is a request from federal immigration authorities asking a law enforcement agency to notify ICE before releasing an individual and, under specified circumstances, to maintain custody for a limited period to facilitate a transfer.
A detainer is not itself a criminal conviction or a deportation order.
The existence of a detainer also does not determine the outcome of the state criminal case.
Congressman Says Officer's Training May Have Saved His Life
Van Drew credited Kapurelos's police training and the positioning of his patrol vehicle with potentially preventing an even more serious outcome.
"He learned the lessons well that he did learn when he was in the police academy about how to park the vehicle," Van Drew said.
"If the vehicle wasn't located in the right way, he wouldn't have been protected against this driver."
The congressman said the officer suffered extensive injuries but expressed confidence in his recovery.
"He's going to be okay because he's got a good family structure and a lot of friends and a loving wife," Van Drew said.
That assessment was Van Drew's personal expression of optimism, not an official medical prognosis.
No updated medical statement from the hospital or Middle Township Police Department was independently confirmed Monday.
Family Speaks About Officer's Injuries
In Van Drew's October 18 statement, Kapurelos's father, Tony Kapurelos, described the devastating impact of the crash on the family.
"They just got married. They have their whole lives ahead of them, and instead of enjoying this time together, Austin is recovering from surgery, and we're all praying he'll be okay," he said.
The father also criticized the circumstances surrounding the crash and called for greater immigration enforcement.
Van Drew said the officer had recently married and purchased a home, making the collision particularly difficult for his family.
The congressman repeatedly asked listeners to keep Kapurelos in their prayers.
Mayor Calls for Prosecution and Federal Cooperation
Middle Township Mayor Christopher Leusner has also called for Lopez-Perez to face prosecution to the fullest extent of New Jersey law.
In a statement released through Van Drew's congressional office, Leusner said the federal detainer should be honored after the state criminal proceedings are completed.
"The charges in this case should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of New Jersey law, and the federal detainer should be honored so this individual is turned over to ICE when the state is done with him," Leusner said.
The mayor also urged state leaders to reconsider New Jersey's policies governing cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
He said public safety should remain the priority.
Crash Fuels Debate Over New Jersey Immigration Policies
Van Drew used Monday's interview to criticize New Jersey's restrictions on cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
He argued that those policies can make it more difficult for ICE to take custody of individuals sought by federal immigration authorities.
"Normally what you would have is a cooperation level between the state troopers, between the county sheriff's office and municipal police and ICE," Van Drew said.
"We don't have that," he added.
The congressman also criticized state spending on legal representation for immigrants facing deportation proceedings.
New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive generally limits certain forms of voluntary cooperation by state and local law enforcement with federal civil immigration enforcement, while preserving exceptions and not preventing federal authorities from enforcing federal law.
Supporters of such restrictions argue that separating local policing from civil immigration enforcement encourages immigrant communities to report crimes and cooperate with police.
Critics, including Van Drew, argue that the restrictions can impede federal efforts to detain and remove people who pose public-safety risks.
The policies and their effects remain subjects of political and legal debate.
The investigation into Friday's crash, however, concerns the specific conduct of the accused driver and the injuries suffered by Kapurelos.
The driver's immigration status does not establish whether he committed the charged offenses.
Police and PBA Warn About Dangerous Driving
The crash has also renewed concern about the dangers police officers face during roadside traffic stops.
New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association President Peter Andreyev said several officers across the state have been injured recently by impaired, reckless or careless drivers.
"We have a problem in New Jersey," Andreyev said in a statement reported by New Jersey 101.5.
He pointed to impaired driving and motorists failing to obey New Jersey's Move Over Law as significant threats to officers.
The law generally requires drivers approaching certain stopped emergency or service vehicles to change lanes when safe or slow down when a lane change cannot be made safely.
Authorities have not publicly established every contributing factor in the Middle Township crash.
Middle Township Police Chief Tracey Super thanked emergency personnel, fellow officers and members of the public who assisted Kapurelos.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Ptl. Austin Kapurelos, his family, and everyone affected by this crash," Super said.
"We ask the community to respect the family's privacy during Ptl. Kapurelos' recovery."
Investigation Continues
Lopez-Perez's criminal case remains pending, and authorities have not announced a final determination regarding the crash.
Questions also remain about the precise status of the reported ICE detainer and how any federal immigration proceedings would interact with the New Jersey criminal case.
For now, the immediate concern for Kapurelos's family, fellow officers and the Middle Township community is his recovery.
Van Drew said Monday that the young officer faces a difficult road ahead but has the support of his family and community.
"This young man is going to have a difficult time," Van Drew said.
The congressman again urged South Jersey residents to pray for Kapurelos as he continues treatment.
Anyone with information about the October 16 crash is asked to contact the Middle Township Police Department at 609-465-8700.
About the Author
Scott Stephens
Scott has been an on-air personality, producer and newscaster for 30+ years. He has been a mainstay in the South Jersey Community and on the air across many different area stations. Scott can currently be heard on Kool 98.3 and News Talk 1400 & 92.3 WOND.
