The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office has identified 28-year-old George Linard as the suspect charged in a fatal crash that occurred on November 9, 2025, in West Deptford. The announcement came after Linard allegedly fled police using a false UK identity.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the incident took place just before 6 p.m. when officers attempted to stop a white car that had fled from a disturbance call at PNS Gas and Food Mart. The driver crossed onto the wrong side of the road and collided with another vehicle at Red Bank and Hessian avenues in West Deptford Township. The crash resulted in the death of the other vehicle’s driver, identified by family members as an Uber driver, and left a passenger with a broken leg. Linard was arrested at the scene after initially identifying himself as “Steve Hall” from Waltham Cross, United Kingdom. He has been charged with death by auto and assault by auto.
Investigators determined on November 12, 2025, that Linard’s true identity was not “Steve Hall” but George Linard. The Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that Linard was wanted by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department for failing to appear in court on charges including unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance, money laundering, and possession of a false government identification document. This revelation complicates his case further, potentially adding new charges related to providing fraudulent identification to law enforcement.
Under New Jersey Statutes § 2C:11-5, death by auto is classified as a second-degree crime punishable by five to ten years in state prison. Sentencing enhancements apply if the defendant was fleeing law enforcement at the time of the crash. The statute underscores New Jersey’s strict accountability for reckless conduct resulting in death during police pursuits. According to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, fatalities involving police pursuits have increased by 12% since 2023, prompting calls for improved risk assessment and pursuit termination policies to prevent collateral deaths.
The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office (GCPO), based in Woodbury, New Jersey, manages criminal investigations and prosecutions across its jurisdiction’s 24 municipalities. Led by an appointed County Prosecutor, GCPO collaborates with local police departments, the New Jersey State Police, and federal partners to address serious crimes such as homicide and fraud. The office also maintains a Special Investigations Unit focused on identity theft and financial crimes—areas directly relevant to Linard’s prior charges and false identity discovery.
