MD Couple Visiting Grandchildren Killed In NJ Crash: Officials

HIGHLAND PARK, NJ — A Maryland man and woman in their 70s were killed in a three-car crash Tuesday evening in New Jersey. A New Jersey man was criminally charged with causing their deaths.

This was announced Wednesday morning by Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Highland Park Police Chief Richard Abrams.

Abeer Viriani, 34, of Iselin, New Jersey was arrested in connection with the fatal crash.

Peter Palmer, 75, and Carol Paul, 77, of Easton, Maryland are the couple who was killed. NBC reported they were in the Highland Park area of New Jersey visiting their grandchildren. They were not married but were in a romantic relationship, according to the prosecutor.

NBC also reported that survivors at the crash site were witnessed pleading with another injured person to "hang on."

At approximately 5:32 p.m. Tuesday, authorities responded to the intersection of Rt. 27 and North 10th Street in Highland Park, New Jersey following a report of a three-car crash. Upon arrival, officers located a Mercedes, operated by Viriani, that had struck a Subaru occupied by the Maryland couple.

The Maryland man and woman were pronounced deceased at the scene. A witness at the scene described seeing deceased bodies covered in blue and pink blankets lying in the roadway.

The prosecutor did not say if speed was a factor. Detectives appear to be waiting for data from the Mercedes to determine if Viriani was speeding. Detectives did say, however, that the Subaru had very extensive damage to the side where it was hit.

"This is being investigated as reckless driving and we are investigating other factors as well," said a spokeswoman for the Middlesex County Prosecutor. "However, this is an ongoing investigation and we are still waiting on conformation from sources. Once the investigation is complete we will provide an update."

The crash occurred on a major roadway at rush hour Tuesday, and attracted dozens of onlookers and witnesses, who shared that it was "tough" to witness. They also reported seeing one person pulled from the wreckage.

Viriani also struck a Hyundai Elantra, and the driver of the Elantra sustained minor injuries.

Viriani himself sustained serious injuries and was transported, along with the driver of the Elantra, to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

That same night, Viriani was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter and two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide. Viriani is being held pending a pre-trial detention hearing in Superior Court.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor asks that anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area is asked to call Officer Kevin Garrity of the Highland Park Police Department at 732-572-3800 or Detective Matthew Colonna of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732)745-3354.

The crash shut down Rt. 27 for hours Tuesday evening, according to the NJ Dept. of Transportation.

Original report on the crash: Serious Car Crash On Rt. 27 In Highland Park Tuesday Evening (June 13)

Patch reporter Carly Baldwin originally wrote this story for the New Jersey Patch. Patch reporter Jacob Baumgart adapted it for the Maryland Patch.