Woman charged in Hammonton, NJ wrong-way crash that killed off-duty cop

A Trenton woman has been charged in a wrong-way crash last year that killed a veteran police officer as he was headed home from work in Atlantic County.

Taquaysha Bell, 29, was arrested at home a week ago by detectives of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Cary Shill announced.

She has been charged with vehicular homicide and assault by auto stemming from the June 19, 2020, crash on the White Horse Pike in Hammonton.

Michael Luko, of Mays Landing, was an officer with the New Jersey Human Services Police Department.

The 53-year-old had been driving home around 11 p.m., when Bell's pickup truck crossed into oncoming traffic near Moss Mill Road and hit Luko's 2003 Honda Civic, the prosecutor’s office previously said.

Luko graduated Gloucester County Police Academy in 1998 and was a police officer for 22 years, according to his obituary last year, in addition to serving as a youth sports coach.

Bell was taken to Atlantic County after her arrest and was processed by Hammonton Police.