Caught on Bodycam: Why Police Let the Red Acura Driver Off With a Warning (Watch Now)

Caught on Bodycam: Why Police Let the Red Acura Driver Off With a Warning (Watch Now)

He hesitated in the doorway, blinking under a flashlight.

Caught on Bodycam: Why Police Let the Red Acura Driver Off With a Warning (Watch Now)

He hesitated in the doorway, blinking under a flashlight.

“It’s my mom’s car,” he said. A pause. “Yeah… I was driving it earlier.”

That man, Ryan Toogood, had just been identified by two Tesla owners who say he brake-checked them, blocked traffic, and screamed profanities — all in the same red Acura SUV. He confirmed to police he was driving the car that day. And yet: no arrest. No citation. No follow-up. See my previous coverage by clicking here.

What happened instead? A polite visit, some chuckles about fishing, and a verbal warning to “be more careful.” The entire exchange lasted three minutes and twenty-six seconds. I obtained the full body camera footage, and I’m releasing it here. (scroll to the bottom for the full video).

Want accountability? Sign the petition: https://forms.gle/AFSPnanCBwbMet1p7

One officer tells him:

“Just be more careful… don’t obviously just block the roadway.”

Then they leave. No citations. No charges. Nothing documented beyond that casual verbal warning.

The Footage That Should Have Been Enough

Boris Hazanov knew exactly what happened — and so did his car.

His Tesla, equipped with Sentry Mode, had silently captured the moment a red Acura SUV pulled in front of him, blocked the road, and refused to move. The driver smirked. Then screamed: “F — you.” Hazanov watched it all unfold again from his touchscreen. Realizing it might be important, he did what any driver would do — he pulled out his phone and recorded the dashcam footage directly off the screen. Just in case.

🚔 What Cherry Hill Police Say

In a written response to questions about the case, Cherry Hill Police Chief John Ostermueller defended the department’s handling of the incident and explained its legal limitations.

“The fact of a video capturing the incident is still insufficient evidence for a police officer to sign certain criminal offenses as well as any traffic summons,” he wrote.

Because the officers did not witness the incident firsthand, he explained, they were not in a position to issue charges or citations themselves. Instead, they deferred the matter to the victims:

“The complainants … were offered the opportunity to sign traffic summonses and criminal complaints. Those involved chose not to pursue the matter even after a detective contacted them a few days after in case they had changed their minds.”

Chief Ostermueller also addressed the quality of the evidence submitted by the victims — specifically, a phone-recorded version of Tesla dashcam footage:

“It is also important to note, that a video of a video will not suffice as an evidence item in court proceedings.”

He concluded by reiterating the department’s broader commitment to public safety:

“The Cherry Hill Police Department remains committed to thoroughly investigating all matters related to public safety, and we continue to encourage individuals who believe they have been victims of such incidents to contact the police directly.”

But according to Boris Hazanov, one of the victims I spoke with, police did more than defer — they discouraged him. He says officers told him his phone-recorded dashcam footage wouldn’t be admissible in court and that pressing charges likely wouldn’t succeed.

Under New Jersey Rule of Evidence 1002, original recordings are usually required to prove their contents. But Rule 1004 makes an exception — a big one. When the original has been lost or destroyed through no bad faith, a duplicate, photo, or alternate version can be admitted.

He was told the evidence wouldn’t hold. That pressing charges probably wouldn’t go anywhere.

I asked him, point blank: if you knew the video was legally admissible, would you have pursued it?

“For sure,” he said.

Want accountability? Sign the petition: https://forms.gle/AFSPnanCBwbMet1p7

The Mayor Deflects. The Prosecutor Stays Silent.

I reached out to Mayor David Fleisher, asking whether the township planned to take any action or issue any guidance to residents. He declined to comment directly, instead writing:

“I’ve asked the Chief of Police to provide you with information deemed appropriate.”

The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The prosecutor’s office can be reached at: PIO@ccprosecutor.org

Submit an anonymous tip here: https://www.camdencountypros.org/tips

Watch the full video. Judge for yourself.

They walked away in under four minutes.

Want accountability? Sign the petition.

We’re calling on Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay, Cherry Hill Police Chief John Ostermueller, and Mayor David Fleisher to reopen the case, accept the evidence, and take real action.

🗂️ Need Public Records in New Jersey? I Can Help. (100% Free, yes, you read that right, 100% free of charge.)

New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) gives you the right to access government documents — including police reports, bodycam footage, emails, disciplinary files, public contracts, and more. Whether you’re seeking information from a local police department, municipality, school district, or state agency, OPRA is the law that protects your access.

If you’ve been denied a request, stalled, or given the runaround, don’t give up — you’re not alone.

I’ve helped others fight OPRA denials — including cases that went all the way to the New Jersey Supreme Court — and I work with a network of public records attorneys who support requesters across the state free of charge.

📩 Email me at shoreinvestigates@gmail.com

By Ben Shore on April 10, 2025.

Exported from Medium on November 11, 2025.