Man Charged with Aggravated Manslaughter, Allegedly Responsible for Fatal Car Accident in Elmwood Park NJ

A Denville New Jersey man has been charged with aggravated manslaughter for allegedly causing a car accident which killed his friend in Elmwood Park, NJ.

According to officials, the 53-year-old suspect is responsible for the death of the 61-year-old victim.

The accident reportedly occurred on Route 80 near milepost 61.6. The suspect was allegedly behind the wheel of a 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera while the victim sat in the passenger side of the car. At some point during the drive, the suspect allegedly lost control of the vehicle and hit the highway guardrail.

The resulting accident caused significant damage to the vehicle and resulted in the death of the victim.

New Jersey State Police were called to the scene to investigate the accident. At this time, police have not yet stated what caused the car accident.

The suspect was charged with aggravated manslaughter. He recently made an appearance in Bergen County Superior Court and entered a not guilty plea.

Prosecutors anticipate presenting the case to a grand jury. If the grand jury chooses to indict the suspect on the charges, he will likely be headed for a criminal trial.

The penalties for aggravated manslaughter in New Jersey are extremely serious. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:11-4, anyone who consciously disregarded a substantial and unjustifiable risk and causes another person’s death can be charged with a second degree felony. A conviction for second degree aggravated manslaughter could result in a sentence to up to 10 years in NJ State Prison.

According to records from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect is currently being held at the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, NJ. His bail amount was set at $500,000.

For additional information about this case, read the NJ.com article entitled “Denville Man Charged in Route 80 Death of Friend, Authorities Say.”