Police Dispatcher And Civilian ID'd As Victims In Double Fatal Hudson County Crash: Police

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — Two drivers who were killed in a crash in North Bergen on Sunday have been identified.

Brian Rivera, 24, a police dispatcher in North Bergen, and Joseph Aziz, 20, of Jersey City were identified as the victims in the crash.

The Attorney General's Office said that North Bergen Police Lt. Jason Appello, who was driving a marked police car, saw Aziz commit a traffic violation at the intersection of 70th Street and Tonnelle Avenue on Sunday night and began following him. The driver crashed into an uninvolved car, state officials said.

Around 11:18 p.m.. Aziz's Honda Accord crashed into a Toyota Corolla between 50th and 51st Streets, said the state.

The dispatcher, Brian Rivera was driving the Corolla, but was not involved in the police pursuit, the state said.

Aziz and Rivera were seriously injured and later pronounced dead, said the state AG.

One passenger in Aziz's Accord and three passengers in the Corolla were taken to the hospital. The Accord passenger has been released, but the Corolla passengers remain hospitalized, said the state.

The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability is investigating the crash. A 2019 state law orders the Attorney General’s Office to conduct investigations into a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with law enforcement.

No further information is available, the state said.

North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco, Police Chief Robert Farley, and Commissioner Allen Pascual released a statement Wednesday saying, "On behalf of the Township of North Bergen we want to offer our sincerest sympathies to the family and friends of Brian Rivera, who tragically passed away after a motor vehicle collision. Brian was a member of the NBPD family as a police dispatcher, and he was in the initial stages of the hiring process to become a Class II Special Police Officer."

The officials added, "Our prayers are with Brian and his family during this time of tragic loss."

A fundraiser set up for Rivera's family this week had collected more than $50,000 by Thursday morning.

"On Sunday night, our family’s world was turned upside down in the tragic accident on Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen," the fundraiser said. "Our beloved cousin Brian, who was only 24, was taken from us far too soon. He was innocent in this accident and leaves behind grieving parents, brother, family, and friends who loved him deeply." The fundraiser is here.

A fundraiser for Aziz's mother has also raised $50,000.