DUI Wrong Way Driver Causes Crash Killing 71-Year-Old Bicyclist In Westfield: Police

WESTFIELD, NJ — A man who police say was driving under the influence was charged after he crossed into the opposite lane, causing a crash that killed a 71-year-old bicyclist on Monday, announced Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro.

On Monday at around 9:54 a.m., Anthony Ramirez Velazquez, 20, of Perth Amboy, was driving a 2016 Acura IDX, going east on W. North Avenue.

"He apparently entered the opposite lane of travel and crashed into a 2022 Ford Transit van, which was traveling west," said Battiloro.

That crash caused the 2022 Ford Transit van to crash onto its side and onto a 71-year-old Kenilworth man, who was also traveling west on his bicycle along the side of the roadway, said Battiloro.

The bicyclist sustained traumatic injuries and, despite intense police and EMS efforts to revive him,
did not survive.

Resuscitation efforts were initiated by a Union County Police officer, who was first on the scene. He was helped by arriving Westfield Police officers and then Union County EMS.

The bicyclist was pronounced dead upon the arrival of paramedics from Atlantic Health System.

The driver of the Ford Transit van and its passengers were not injured.

Anthony Ramirez Velazquez was initially arrested at the scene by the Westfield Police Department for driving under the influence.

Following a further investigation led by the Westfield Police Department’s Traffic Safety and Detective Bureaus, and assisted by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force, Ramirez was subsequently charged with the following crimes:

• Death by Auto, a crime of the second-degree
• Assault by Auto, a crime of the third-degree
• Assault by Auto, a crime of the fourth-degree

Ramirez Velazquez was processed at the Westfield Police Department and will be transferred to the

Essex County Jail pending further court proceedings.

The Westfield Police Department was assisted at the crash scene by the Westfield Fire Department, the Union County Police Crash Analysis Unit, and the Union County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Unit.

Anthony Ramirez Velazquez faces between 5 and 10 years in a state prison and afine of up to $150,000 on the second-degree crimes. He also faces a sentence of between 3 and 5 years in a state prison and a fine of up to $15,000 on the third-degree crime.

He also faces a sentence of up to 18 months in a state prison and a fine up to $10,000 for the fourth-degree crimes.

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