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NJ detective killed in highway crash

Tina Rambo had served the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office for about a decade

Duty Death: Tina Rambo - [Ocean County]

By Peter Mucha and Darran Simon
The Philadelphia Inquirer

OCEAN COUNTY, N.J. — A head-on crash in Burlington County killed an Ocean County detective as she drove to work on Monday, state police said.

Tina Rambo, 35, of Marlton, had served the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office for about a decade, state police spokesman Capt. Frank Davis said.

Rambo was driving east on Route 70 in Southampton about 8 a.m. when her car was struck by one that crossed into her lane, police said. Rambo died at the scene.

The driver of the other car, Rachel Portnoy, 24, of Marlton, was flown to Cooper University Hospital in Camden with serious leg injuries.

Both drivers were wearing seat belts, state police said.

No charges have been filed, and the accident remains under investigation.

The highway remained closed until about 12:45 p.m., Davis said.

Rambo had been assigned recently to the grand jury and trial unit. Previously, she had worked for the narcotics strike force, the special victims and Megan’s Law units, and the domestic violence unit, authorities said.

A 1994 graduate of Toms River North High School, Rambo graduated from Ocean County College in 1996 and earned a bachelor’s degree from Rowan University in 1997.

She graduated from the Ocean County Police Academy on May 24, 2000. That year, she joined the Prosecutor’s Office as a prosecutor’s agent. On July 30, 2001, she was sworn in as a law enforcement officer, the Prosecutor’s Office said.

Three years later, she earned a master’s degree from Seton Hall University in human resources training and development.

In addition to her career in law enforcement, Rambo had worked as a substitute teacher in the Toms River Regional School District. She was married and had two children.

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