A New Jersey grand jury has declined to charge a Guttenberg police officer who pursued a man on foot who eventually fell to his death on Boulevard East back on November 12th, 2024.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office identified the decedent as Brandon Lee Ortega, 26, of Mexia, Texas and Guttenberg Police Officer Brandon Sauerwald 10 days after the incident occurred, as HCV first reported.
Ortega’s death was investigated by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) and presented to New Jersey residents serving on the grand jury in accordance with the Independent Directive of 2019.
The investigation included witness interviews, review of 911 calls, radio transmissions, photographs, video footage from body-worn cameras and surveillance videos, and autopsy results. This evidence was presented to a state grand jury.
After hearing testimony and evidence, the grand jury concluded its deliberations on March 23, 2026, and voted “no bill,” concluding no criminal charges should be filed against Sauerwald.
According to the investigation, at approximately 11:02 p.m. on November 12th, 2024, officers from the Guttenberg Police Department responded to 68th Street and Bellevue Avenue after a 911 call was received reporting a disturbance.
There, Guttenberg Police Officer Sauerwald and Det. Jaber Jaber met with an individual who explained that he had rented a room to a woman from California, but she never checked in.
Instead, two men and one woman with a dog attempted to enter the property.
When the owner denied them entry, an argument ensued and one man, later identified as Ortega, reportedly brandished a blue firearm. Officers were provided with a description of the individuals involved in the reported disturbance and canvassed the area.
Sauerwald then located Ortega in the area of 7000 John F. Kennedy Blvd. East.
During a brief foot chase, Ortega fled from Sauerwald and allegedly attempted to carjack an individual. After the failed attempt, the driver chased after Ortega.
Sauerwald pursued, and as he was approaching, Ortega climbed over a railing and fell approximately 68 feet.
Fire department and EMS personnel responded and Ortega was pronounced dead at the scene. A gun with a black grip and metallic blue coloring was recovered on Ortega’s person and the footage of his death has not been released.
Investigators provided representatives of Ortega’s family an opportunity to review the recordings before their public release.
Videos from the incident, along with 911 calls and police radio transmission, are available here.
