Capt. Earl Alexander IV was the subject of an internal affairs investigation before he crashed his car, police said.
DEAL -- In light of a toxicology report that shows one of their captains was impaired by drugs and alcohol when he fatally crashed his car in January, Deal police said Friday they are investigating the circumstances leading up to the death of the off-duty officer, who was the subject of an internal affairs investigation.
The investigation into the death of Capt. Earl B. Alexander IV on Jan. 2 in Ocean Township was under the jurisdiction of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and Ocean Township police, but the borough's police department now has its own angle to pursue because of the toxicology report, police Chief Ronen Neuman said.
"We were grieving a lost captain, then we got these reports," said Neuman, who called the incident "tragic." "Now we're doing our (part) trying to figure out what happened that night."
N.J. cop was impaired on drugs, alcohol in fatal crash
Toxicology reports obtained by NJ Advance Media through an Open Public Records Act request show Alexander, 38, had a blood-alcohol level double the legal limit to drive. Blood tests also showed the presence of a dozen chemicals, including four illegal substances often linked to the designer drug known as "bath salts," the toxicology reports said.
Neuman confirmed that Alexander was the subject of an internal affairs investigation and said it involved possible departmental infractions - not criminal activity. Citing personnel matters, he would not provide details about the departmental investigation. He also would not say whether Alexander was required to take a drug test.
"It's a tragic incident. He got involved in a single-car crash and succumbed to his injuries," Neuman said. "As unfortunate as it is, he lost his life. It's tragic all around."
So far, it's not clear to investigators where Alexander, who was off duty at the time, was coming from when he crashed his fiancee's 2007 Acura TSX south on Route 71 near Perine Avenue at 12:38 a.m. The car ran off the road and hit a utility pole, went back on the road and hit a curb before becoming airborne and getting lodged between a retaining wall and a utility pole while flipped onto the driver's side, according to police reports.
Alexander, who had to be extricated from the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene.
But authorities do know that Alexander had taken part in some local fire department celebrations - including his own - before his death.
Neuman said Alexander, who was sworn in as assistant fire chief for Deal Fire Co. No. 2 on Jan. 1, had attended the swearing-in ceremony that morning and participated in the celebration at the firehouse afterwards, which included a breakfast sponsored by the borough's governing body.
Borough administrator Stephen Carasia said the borough's two commissioners and Mayor Morris Ades, who is on vacation, aren't saying too much publicly about the incident because it involves a personnel matter.
"It's a shame that this has transpired and obviously, the outcome of what happened to him, it's a shock," he said.
Carasia, who also serves as the fire chief, said Jan. 1 is a day when fire departments from several neighboring communities have the installation of new officers and celebrations afterwards attended by members of the various departments.
Carasia said he, Alexander and several other members of Deal's fire department attended some of the other local celebrations but noted he didn't see Alexander consume any alcohol during that time.
"I did not see him have anything to drink at those," Carasia said. "Yes, we were out at other fire departments and I did not observe him drinking at all."
At the celebrations, the officers typically stay for 15 to 20 minutes before moving on to the next firehouse, he said. The fire department celebrations usually last until around 4 or 5 p.m. and while some celebrants end at that time, others continue to party after that, Carasia said. He said he does not know what Alexander did later in the day and into the evening.
Neuman said he didn't see Alexander after Deal's swearing-in celebration.
MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.