A former Orange police officer has been named in an Essex County grand jury indictment, charging him with aggravated assault stemming from an incident when he fired at a taxicab, narrowly missing the driver.

Essex County Prosecutor Herbert H. Tate said 27-year-old Madison Brown was off duty on Feb. 12 when his motorcycle colided with a taxi driven by Jean-Claude Raymond, 29, who works for the Westlande Taxi Corp. in East Orange. The accident occured at Tremont and Mosswood avenues at 7:12 p.m.

Since the incident, Brown was fired from the force for violating department rules, according to Orange Police Director Charles Cobbertt.

Brown told police he fired five shots at Raymond's cab following the collision because the driver knocked him to the ground by backing his taxi into him.

The grand jury dismissed the charge of assault which the ex-officer brought against the cabby. A no-bill also was returned on the attempted homicide complaint Raymond filed against Brown.

Raymond's attorney, Jeffrey Scott Beckerman of South Orange said, "Now that the criminal stigma has been erased, we will proceed with the civil litigation against the officer and the department."

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“Reach Back with One Hand and Pull Someone Else Up With You.”

– Charles C. Cobbertt

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