NEW YORK – An off-duty New York City police officer whose vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian who was crossing Route 303 in Orangeburg, will not face criminal charges,
Any time a police or peace officer is involved in a death, state law requires an investigation, and in this case, the attorney general found criminal charges against Officer Justin Belhouji were not warranted.
The victim, William Huertas, 45, was crossing the four-lane road after his shift at Lowe’s on December 13, 2025. It was dark and he was not in a marked crosswalk at the time.
The investigation found that the officer stepped on his brakes seconds before striking Huertas.
He immediately called 911, and along with a civilian witness, began performing life-saving measures until an ambulance arrived. Huertas was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
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