Trenton attorney Robin Lord represents the family of Deja Farrior-Quinones, the 22-year-old killed in a Sept. 12 crash.
TRENTON -- An attorney for the family of a woman killed last week in a collision with a vehicle that had been pursued by the New Jersey State Police said she's filed an internal complaint with the agency, questioning the role they played in her death.
Deja Farrior-Quinones was killed Sept. 12 at a Hamilton intersection when a vehicle driven by Chandler Heaviside, 22, of Jackson, ran a red light and t-boned her turning vehicle.
Deja Farrior Troopers had pursued Heaviside's vehicle following a suspected drug transaction in the west side of Trenton and along two highways, but the officers cut off the chase at the Whitehorse circle on South Broad Street, authorities have said.
Heaviside continued driving north, though, and is charged with death by auto and related crimes for allegedly sailing through the intersection while high on heroin.
Farrior-Quinones' family said she was driving to her nieces' house to kiss them goodnight.
Last Thursday, following a court appearance for Heaviside, lawyer Robin Lord called the state police's internal affairs unit, called the Office of Professional Standards and filed a complaint, she said Tuesday.
"We indicated that we wanted them to investigate the propriety of the high-speed chase for any criminal wrongdoing," Lord said.
Prosecutor seeks $1M bail for man charged in fatal crash after cop chase
She said she had not heard back from the state police as of Tuesday.
Lord said last week she doubts whether troopers actually stopped the chase where authorities claimed it ended.
And she said several witnesses in the area that night had seen three unmarked police cars, two with lights on, still following Heaviside's car on South Broad Street. She also questioned why police decided to follow Heaviside for so long for a drug investigation.
Chandler Heaviside State police spokesman Capt. Stephen Jones said Tuesday that every police pursuit in which troopers engage is examined by an agency pursuit review board.
He added, "All complaints filed with the Office of Professional Standards are fully investigated and reviewed by the Office of the Attorney General," Jones said.
During his first court appearance last week, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office asked for Heaviside's bail on multiple charges be increased to $1 million.
A judge - citing cited the seriousness of the crime and Heaviside's history of drug offenses - raised it from $572,500 to $650,000.
- Reporter Kevin Shea contributed to this story
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman.