Full-pension benefits were awarded to Christopher Onesti, an ex New Jersey Transit police officer, upon retiring. Why? According to New Jersey Watchdog, he was injured back in 2006 when he accidently shot a staple with a staple gun into his own finger (on his non-shooting hand) while attaching a target at a shooting range in Stafford, NJ.
New Jersey Watchdog says, “The following day, Onesti reported the injury to his superiors, who told him to seek medical care. Two surgeries and 18 months later, doctors determined that Onesti could no longer work as a transit cop.”
Doctors ruled that Onesti couldn’t handle a gun after the incident, resulting in the decision to deem him permanently disabled while collecting an “accidental disability”, tax-free pension worth $45,936.24 per year.
So why is the officer under fire? Because Christopher Onesti still visits the shooting range, and is able to shoot a high-powered gun with ease.
John Sierchio, a Police and Firemen’s Retirement System trustee told New Jersey Watchdog that, “There’s no way you’re totally and permanently disabled from a staple in the finger.”
Onesti also thinks that “it’s ridiculous” that he was deemed permanently disabled.