Paul Tarashuk Jr. was hit and killed by a car last September, hours after he had been treated by EMTs and police while traveling through South Carolina. His Hunterdon County family is still searching for answers about exactly what happened to him.

“Every day is like it’s the first day and you realize he’s not coming home," his mother, Cynthia Tarashuk, said. She said she hopes no other family will have to experience what she has gone through over the past nine months.

Her 26-year-old son was picked up by South Carolina authorities after being spotted on top of a tractor-trailer, naked, on the side of the highway on September 9, 2018. Hours later, he was hit by a car and killed while walking down Interstate 95 in Orangeburg, authorities have said.

The family is now asking for letters of support to be sent to the Justice Department requesting a thorough investigation into the events before his death. A Facebook page, Justice for Paul Tarashuk; Make Change for Others has been set up to keep the community updated on efforts to share his story.

At the time of his death, Tarashuk was living on his own in Delaware. His family is not sure why he was in South Carolina, but his mother said it was not unlike him to take impromptu road trips. A neighbor had seen Tarashuk packing up his car and said he was going on a trip and would be back in a few days, his mother said.

Before he was killed, Tarashuk was traveling with his dog Giuseppe, who has been missing ever since the accident. A separate Facebook page has been set up to find her.

Tarashuk had a schizoaffective disorder, which he was diagnosed with in high school, his mother said. His condition was well managed with medication and he was very diligent about taking his medicine ever since he was diagnosed, she said.

Tarashuk’s interactions with police and EMS responders were captured on a sheriff’s officer’s body camera. This footage was obtained by Channel 12 WRDW.

Police were able to get him to come down from the truck and gave him a borrowed pair of shorts as they began questioning his behavior. Tarashuk is seen first speaking erratically and then stops communicating with the officer.

“We don’t know how he ended up in that state of mind. He’s never presented like that before,” Cynthia Tarashuk said in a phone interview with NJ Advance Media. Her family has been living in Raritan Township since 2002.

She said it is not uncommon for those experiencing a schizophrenic episode to undress because they overheat.

“Tell us your damn name please. I’m being [expletive] serious, give me your damn name so I can go home. For real, I’m tired,” one paramedic can be heard on video saying to Tarashuk. Others can be heard laughing in the background.

The paramedics can be seen warning Tarashuk that if he does not start speaking with them they are going to put smelling salts up his nose. He did not answer so the smelling salts were placed inside his nose while he was awake and conscious, but not verbally communicating. The salts are typically used to wake people who are unconscious.

In the video, EMTs ask Paul if he wants to be taken to the hospital. His response is difficult to discern in the video.

Security camera footage obtained by Channel 12 WRDW shows Tarashuk being dropped off by an Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office Deputy at around 2 a.m. at a closed gas station just off of Interstate 95 in Santee, South Carolina -- 18 miles away from where he first came into contact with the police.

It was about three quarters of a mile from where Tarashuk’s car was found stuck in a ravine, his mother said.

Cynthia Tarashuk said that body camera footage she has seen records the officer telling her son he is going to figure out where he lives and take him home. She said not been given an answer as to why the officer dropped him off at the closed gas station.

The Orangeburg County Sheriff’s office did not return multiple requests from comment.

Four hours later, after he was hit by a car, the same paramedics team treated him earlier was dispatched to the scene, according to Channel 12 WRDW.

A toxicology report later revealed that Paul had no drugs or alcohol in his system, Cynthia said.

“I don’t believe this is about training. They knew what they were supposed to do and they chose not to do it,” Cynthia Tarashuk said of the police and EMT response to her son, and to mentally ill patients, in general.

One of the paramedics that was captured in the body camera footage was initially suspended and was supposed to be demoted, but there was a delay in the paperwork filed and she was able to remain in her position for four months, according to Channel 12 WRDW. She was fired in April for back talking to her boss, Channel 12 WRDW reported.

“What’s happening here is that people who are supposed to do their jobs are choosing who they want to protect (and) who (is) worthy of protecting,” Cynthia Tarashuk said.

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us.nj.com/tips.

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