Man Drove Drunk, Falsely Claimed He Wasn't Driver In Fatal Bergen County Crash: Prosecutor

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A Newark man who crashed into a highway divider in Bergen County on Sunday — killing a passenger — falsely claimed to police that the driver "ran off after the crash," prosecutors said.

Jose M. Sumba Astudillo, 36, was arrested Monday and charged with death by auto, among several other charges, said the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office late on Monday.

Prosecutors said that just before 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, Astudillo crashed into a highway divider on Route 46 West in Hasbrouck Heights.

One passenger, Angel S. Uzhca Yadaicela, 57, of Elmwood Park, was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center and pronounced dead, prosecutors said.

A second passenger was also taken to the hospital and remains in critical condition, prosecutors said.

Astudillo was also taken to the hospital, but his injuries were not serious, prosecutors said.

The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit responded to the crash and determined that Astudillo "made false statements to law enforcement, and that he, in fact, was the driver of the Hyundai at the time of the collision."

They later also determined that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, prosecutors said.

Astudillo was charged with death by auto, aggravated assault, causing a death while operating a vehicle while unlicensed, causing serious bodily injury while operating a vehicle while unlicensed, providing a false report to law enforcement, hindering apprehension, and obstructing the administration of law, prosecutors said.

Astudillo remains in the Bergen County Jail "awaiting further action by the court," prosecutors said on Monday.