Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Robert Nguyen and Police Officer Shawn Carson were killed when their patrol truck drove off of the Hackensack River Bridge and plunged 45-feet into the Hackensack River during a period of heavy fog at 8:20 pm.
The officers had driven across the lift-bridge to place flares on the Newark side to warn drivers about a problem with the bridge's operations. As they set the flares, the bridge operator opened the span to allow a tugboat to pass underneath. The bridge's safety bar and warning lights, which had not been functional for two days, failed to activate when the span opened.
As the officers returned to the Jersey City side of the bridge, their vehicle drove off of the open portion of the span and fell to the river below, killing both officers.
Officer Carson was pulled from the water two hours after the incident and taken to University Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officer Nguyen's body was found on December 29th, 2005, by members of the New York City Police Department Dive Unit. His body was snagged under concrete pilings in 50 feet of water some 90 feet from where the truck went into the river.
Officer Nguyen had served with the Jersey City Police Department for 6 years.
The officers had driven across the lift-bridge to place flares on the Newark side to warn drivers about a problem with the bridge's operations. As they set the flares, the bridge operator opened the span to allow a tugboat to pass underneath. The bridge's safety bar and warning lights, which had not been functional for two days, failed to activate when the span opened.
On this actual anniversary of your death and during this Christmas time I will reiterate my previous reflection left a few short weeks ago and say that your service and sacrifice are always remembered by your law enforcement brethren. God Speed and Merry Christmas to you, your family and loved ones.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) December 26th, 2020
In Our Keeping
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Nguyen gave the Jersey City Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Jersey City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Nguyen.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Robert Nguyen is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NJ, 258 of 646 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.9% of this state's fallen. That is 8.9 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Jersey City Police Department, 21 of 41 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 51.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Nguyen's cause is highlighted.
How Robert Nguyen Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Nguyen is highlighted in Dec.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
40 officers from Jersey City Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
