New Jersey officer charged with misconduct after stopping for pizza during double-murder response

A New Jersey police sergeant has been charged with misconduct for allegedly making personal stops at an ATM and pizzeria instead of properly investigating reports of a shooting that turned out to be a double murder.

Franklin Township Sergeant Kevin Bollaro was on duty August 1 when police received multiple 911 calls reporting gunshots and screaming in Pittstown, about 60 miles from Manhattan.

Prosecutors from Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renee Robeson's office said GPS data and surveillance video show Bollaro drove nearly two miles away from the caller's location to use a bank ATM instead of responding immediately.

While dispatchers relayed additional calls from concerned neighbors, Bollaro proceeded without activating his emergency lights or sirens, according to investigators.

After briefly checking the first caller's location and reporting he heard nothing, Bollaro allegedly never visited the other reported locations before asking to be cleared from the scene. Instead, he went to Duke's Pizzeria in Pittstown, where he remained for nearly an hour, then parked and entered another restaurant for approximately another hour.

Prosecutors said Bollaro later submitted a report containing false statements about his investigation. The bodies of Lauren Semanchik, 33, and Tyler Webb, 29, were found the next day in a home about 600 feet from the original 911 caller's location. Authorities said they were shot by New Jersey State Police Lieutenant Ricardo Santos, who later killed himself.

Bollaro faces charges of official misconduct and tampering with public records. His attorney, Charles Sciarra, called the charges "unfortunate" and maintained Bollaro's actions didn't impact the outcome. The victims' families said they were "shocked at Sgt. Bollaro's egregious conduct" and believe it represents broader police failures in the case.