Newly released security footage obtained by News 12 New Jersey shows Nadine Arslanian, the wife of Sen. Bob Menendez, involved in a fatal pedestrian crash in December 2018. The footage captures the moment Arslanian’s Mercedes-Benz struck and killed a pedestrian on Main Street in Bogota, New Jersey.
The security footage, which was released a few hours after initial reports, shows a car colliding with a person standing in the street. The pedestrian’s image is blurred in the video. Bystanders can be seen waving down a police car near the victim.
Arslanian, who married Sen. Menendez in 2020, was not charged in the incident. The Bogota Police Department’s investigation concluded that Arslanian was “not at fault” and stated that the pedestrian had been jaywalking.
The victim, identified as Richard Koop, was 49 years old and was hit in front of his house. Sen. Menendez expressed condolences to the victim’s family, referring to the incident as a tragic accident.
Both Sen. Menendez and Arslanian are currently facing increased scrutiny after being indicted on bribery charges. Prosecutors allege that they assisted three Egyptian businessmen in exchange for bribes, including a 2019 Mercedes. Sen. Menendez has denied any wrongdoing and has resisted calls for his resignation.