(02/16/06) HACKENSACK ? The family of a Jersey City police officer killed in a bridge accident announced Thursday they plan to take legal action against the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT).

The family of Officer Shawn Carson filed a legal claim with an attorney against the DOT. According to lawyers working with the family, the claim is an invitation for the DOT to admit its wrongdoing and work out a settlement with Carson?s family. The claim is essentially the precursor to a lawsuit against the DOT.

Carson and his partner Officer Robert Nguyen were killed Christmas night when their vehicle plunged off a raised drawbridge into the Hackensack River. A broken bridge gate and heavy fog were blamed as contributing factors in the accident. A recent report released by the Jersey City Police Department placed responsibility for the incident squarely on the shoulders of the DOT. However, an earlier report released by the DOT cites problems with police procedures as part of the reason for the accident.

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