NJ Woman Sentenced For Killing Off-duty Police Officer in Crash

A Trenton woman will be spending the next several years behind bars in connection to the death of an off-duty police officer in Atlantic County in 2020.

After pleading guilty back in May, 31-year-old Taquaysha M. Bell was sentenced to seven years in state prison in a vehicular homicide case that left 53-year-old Human Services Police Officer Michael Luko, Sr., of Mays Landing dead.

Bell was also sentenced to five years on an aggravated assault charge for another victim, Chanelle Morgan, who was a passenger in her vehicle.

Luko, Sr., was a former Egg Harbor City police officer.

Authorities say on June 19th, 2020, Bell was traveling westbound on the White Horse Pike when she crossed into opposing traffic and struck Luko's vehicle head-on as he was heading home from work.

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Three people were passengers in Bell's car; one underwent surgery and two were not injured.

Bell will be required to serve at least 85 percent of the seven-year sentence before she will be eligible for parole. Her driver's license will also be suspended for five years after her release from prison.

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