Passaic Officer Abandons Seriously Injured Female Passenger In Pre-Dawn DWI Crash: Prosecutor

An off-duty City of Passaic police officer was drunk when he crashed his car and took off on foot, leaving a seriously injured female companion from Clifton behind, authorities said following his arrest.

Passaic Police Officer Edgar Delgado
Photo Credit: *PASSAIC COUNTY PROSECUTOR*

Jerry DeMarco

07/30/2022 4:42 p.m.

Edgar Delgado, 31, remained held in the Passaic County Jail on a host of charges -- including leaving the scene of a crash, endangering an injured victim and DWI -- following a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Paterson on Saturday.

Clifton police found the 28-year-old victim in the vehicle, which had struck an unoccupied car outside the Passaic Metal & Building Supplies Company lot on Central Avenue across from Yereance Avenue around 4:30 a.m. Friday, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi said in a joint release.

She was taken to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, they said.

Investigators quickly determined that Delgado “had been operating his vehicle recklessly, under the influence of alcohol, and left the scene following the crash,” the release says.

Delgardo is charged with assault by auto causing serious bodily injury, leaving the scene of a crash resulting in serious bodily injury, endangering an injured victim, hindering apprehension and DWI.

An attorney for Delgado couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

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