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Jose M. Sumba Astudillo, 36, initially told officers at the scene he was a passenger and that the driver had fled following the incident near the Route 17 junction in Hasbrouck Heights on Sunday, Dec. 1 around 2:30 a.m., Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
The crash claimed the life of 57-year-old Angel S. Uzhca Yadaicela of Elmwood Park, who was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center and pronounced dead. Another passenger remains hospitalized in critical condition, authorities said.
Sumba Astudillo was treated for minor injuries and taken into custody after investigators determined he had made false statements to police. On Dec. 2, authorities charged him with second-degree death by auto, aggravated assault, and several additional offenses, including driving under the influence of alcohol and operating a vehicle while unlicensed.
He remains in custody at the Bergen County Jail pending further court proceedings.
A GoFundMe for Uzhca Yadaicela's family had raised more than $2,200 as of press time.
Uzcha Yadaicela's son, Angel Uzhca Jr., says his father was born in Ecuador and moved to the United States for a better life. He worked in the Hackensack area in construction, and will be remembered for his hard work in the community, he said.
He is survived by his wife, Maria Dolores Salto, and their sons, Mauricio, Steven and Kenneth, the campaign says.
Musella commended the Hasbrouck Heights, Lodi, and Bergen County Sheriff’s Office personnel for their roles in the investigation, which remains ongoing.
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