Ex-cop charged in deadly crash says he spoke to God

NEW YORK (AP) — The former New Jersey police officer on trial in New York for a deadly wrong-way crash after a night of drinking said Friday he's talked to God and hopes to help others.

As he prepared to enter court, Pedro Abad told NJ.com (http://bit.ly/2ou4eRA ) that he was "literally declared dead and pronounced dead" after the 2015 crash into a tractor-trailer on a Staten Island highway. Abad's fellow officer and another man were killed.

"I've seen God. He's told me things," he told the news media outlet. "Maybe I can touch someone and give them the belief that, 'Wow, Pedro's going through this, but at least maybe he's trying to help.' Send me away, do whatever you want to do, but I want to feel that I've helped someone out there."

Abad said he's been reciting Bible passages on his way into court each day because he hopes to help other people and spread the word of God. He said he can't discuss the case during the trial.

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Abad, 29, faces charges including aggravated vehicular homicide and manslaughter in connection with the March 2015 crash on a Staten Island highway. He has pleaded not guilty and previously turned down a plea deal.

Prosecutors claim the former Linden officer drove the wrong way at 73 miles per hour (117 kilometers per hour) because of how much he had drunk. Authorities have said his blood-alcohol content was 0.24 percent. The legal limit is 0.08 percent.