Driver drove wrong way, failed to yield to Franklin patrol car in fatal crash, report says

Lori Comstock, Newton New Jersey Herald
·4 min read

A 21-year-old Sussex County driver failed to yield to traffic and drove the wrong direction on Route 23 before his car collided with a Franklin Borough police officer's patrol vehicle on Memorial Day, leading to death of his 19-year-old passenger, according to a Sussex County Sheriff's Office crash report obtained by the New Jersey Herald.

Darian Carver, of Branchville, was behind the wheel of a black 2001 Honda Prelude around 10:40 a.m. on May 27 when he exited the Route 23 ShopRite plaza parking lot near the intersection of Walsh Road, entered the roadway, crossed the double yellow line and "attempted to head north in the southbound lane," the report states.

Carver's passenger, Deanna D'Arco, 19, of Vernon, who family identified as her boyfriend in her obituary and on social media, died at Morristown Medical Center on May 29.

Carver was issued four motor vehicle summonses for careless driving, improper passing (crossing a no passing lane), improper merge and failure to have inspection. An improper merge ticket refers to a driver who failed to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic.

The Sussex County Prosecutor's Office is reviewing the summonses as part of the ongoing investigation, said Sahil Kabse, Sussex County's acting assistant prosecutor.

"As a result, there are no upcoming court proceedings on the summonses," Kabse said, adding that "at this time, there are no criminal charges filed."

Route 23 in Franklin Borough looking south. Authorities say Darian Carver's vehicle was pulling out of the ShopRite parking lot, at left, and attempted to head north in the southbound lane, causing a Franklin Borough patrol vehicle, traveling southbound, to collide with his Honda Prelude near Walsh Road, at right.
Route 23 in Franklin Borough looking south. Authorities say Darian Carver's vehicle was pulling out of the ShopRite parking lot, at left, and attempted to head north in the southbound lane, causing a Franklin Borough patrol vehicle, traveling southbound, to collide with his Honda Prelude near Walsh Road, at right.

In fatal incidents, any motor vehicle tickets issued to civilians involved are reviewed by the prosecutor's office in the county of which the crash took place. After a review, the office can file criminal charges, if deemed appropriate, or will return the case back to municipal court for resolution.

A marked patrol SUV, driven by Sgt. William Grissom, was traveling south on Route 23 near the Walsh Road intersection when the officer struck the Honda's passenger side, which was over the yellow line and in the officer's lane of travel, the crash narrative states. A diagram prepared of the crash shows the Honda at rest against a telephone pole facing north mostly in the grass off the southbound roadway, with the front-end just over the fog line. The patrol vehicle is shown in the southbound lane facing northwest, or toward the Honda.

A photo shared with the New Jersey Herald aligns with a diagram prepared by Detective Justin McCann. Damage could be seen to the Honda's passenger side and the officer's front fender. The busy corridor has a speed limit of 35 mph.

The New Jersey Attorney General's Office reviews the conduct of involved officers in fatal police encounters, said Daniel Prochilo, a spokesperson for the office. It was not immediately known if any summonses or charges have been filed against Grissom.

"We do not comment on ongoing criminal investigations," Prochilo said.

The crash report notes that blood was taken from Grissom and Carver to test for drugs and alcohol, with the results "pending."

A screenshot from a video obtained by the New Jersey Herald shows the aftermath of a May 27 crash on Route 23 in Franklin Borough, showing a collision between a Honda Prelude and a borough patrol vehicle.
A screenshot from a video obtained by the New Jersey Herald shows the aftermath of a May 27 crash on Route 23 in Franklin Borough, showing a collision between a Honda Prelude and a borough patrol vehicle.

The New Jersey Herald requested a copy of police body camera and dashcam footage from the Attorney General's Office, but several requests from the office for additional time has extended the due date.

Grissom and Carver had non-life-threatening injuries in the crash.

D'Arco was a teacher's assistant at Little Learners Academy in Jefferson and graduated in 2021 from the New Jersey Youth Corps at Project Self-Sufficiency, her obituary stated. She had a "vibrant spirit, warm heart, and incredible legacy of giving left a lasting impression on everyone she met," it said.

Darian Carver and a family member started a GoFundMe that has garnered nearly $18,000 since its creation on May 29 to help support the D'Arco family. The Carver's added the hashtag #Justice4Deanna. In contrasting fundraisers, a member of the D'Arco family created a GoFundMe to support Darian Carver on June 8, stating that they felt compelled to help and wanted to gather funds to help Darian Carver buy a new vehicle. It had garnered over $2,300 as of Wednesday afternoon.

Requests for comment from the creators of both GoFundMes were not immediately returned. A phone number for Carver could not immediately be found. Reports did not indicate if Carver has an attorney representing him.

Email: lcomstock@njherald.com; Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH or on Facebook.

This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Fatal Franklin crash driver went wrong way, failed to yield: report