Clark cop won’t face charges for body-slamming, critically injuring 61-year-old woman

CLARK — A township police officer who body slammed and critically injured a 61-year-old woman during a traffic stop last summer has been cleared of wrongdoing by a Union County grand jury.

Antoinette Dilorio suffered multiple fractures and lost several front teeth during the July 31 incident that began at 11:53 a.m. when she was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by her son, Fortunato Riga, 32.

A police officer pulled over Riga's 1997 Ford Explorer after seeing an unrestrained young child inside and an inoperable rear brake light. Dilorio, Riga and Riga's fiancee, Crystal Palmieri, were in the car along with the child, police said.

When the officer asked Riga for his credentials, his mother, began to question the officer, according to a statement released Thursday by the Union County Prosecutor's Office. As the driver handed over his credentials, authorities say all three adults in the vehicle became "agitated" and started yelling at the officer. Police said the officer, "in an attempt to deescalate the situation," asked Riga to step out of the vehicle so they could speak privately.

"Riga refused, continuing to search through the interior of the vehicle while using profanity, and he ultimately was unable to produce proof of insurance," the Prosecutor's Office said, adding that the driver refused to get out of the car until a Clark police supervisor arrived.

Authorities say throughout the conversation, Dilorio and Palmieri continued to yell at the officer, who then ordered Riga to get out of the car and informed him he was under arrest for obstruction of justice. Authorities say the driver continued to resist, refusing to exit his vehicle.

Additional police units arrived and removed the driver from the vehicle, at which time Dilorio allegedly exited the Ford Explorer and "lunged" at the officer who initially pulled her son over, "grabbing him around his upper body."

A physical struggled ensued in the roadway between the officer and 61-year-old woman, who was allegedly "flailing her arms and jerking her body." Authorities say when the officer was unable to gain control of the woman, he forced her to the ground in an attempt to place her under arrest.

"As a result of the impact, DiIorio sustained non-life-threatening injuries, including a concussion, loss of several teeth, and various fractures," the Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.

The woman was transported by an EMS crew to University Hospital in Newark and released the next day, authorities said.

Riga was charged with obstruction of justice and multiple motor vehicle offenses and his mother was charged with resisting arrest and obstruction of justice.

Following an investigation, the Prosecutor's Office said, the grand jury determined that the officer's "use of non-deadly force was legally justified to complete the arrest."

Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso, who has previously defended the officer's use of force, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.