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Senior Police Officer Arcadio Rivera Jr., 54, was operating his personal vehicle off-duty and apparently had a medical emergency that caused him to crash into parked vehicles, according to initial reports.
He was a former U.S. Marine and 26-year veteran of the police force.
Rivera is survived by three children, Arcadio III, Luis Armando and Angel Isaiah Rivera.
Rivera was taken to Raritan Bay Medical Center after suffering a heart attack and was pronounced at the hospital, authorities said.
At about 7:30 p.m., emergency responders were called to a crash scene in the 300 block of Harbortown Boulevard in Perth Amboy.
Arriving EMS crews and police found a silver Ford had rear-ended a silver Honda at that location.
The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the cause of the fatal crash.
The New Jersey State PBA issued a tweet that said: “"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, and department of the officer we lost tonight."
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