Bridgeton Man Arrested and Charged for Fatal Accident on Route 1 in April

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ - Authorities have arrested and charged a Bridgeton man in connection to a fatal accident on Route 1 in April, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. Joseph Vega, age 43, was arrested by authorities in Georgia for causing the accident which resulted in the death of three people.

The crash occurred on Friday, April 12. Authorities say that a tractor trailer had struck a van at the intersection. The van then struck two other vehicles and the tractor trailer caught fire. The van also caught fire, resulting in the deaths of three passengers: Charisse Nelson-Bailey, age 22, Daniel Vida, age 28, and Maria Passalaris, age 25.

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An investigation by prosecutors and the South Brunswick Police Department determined that Vega was driving the tractor trailer at the time of the collision. He was transporting an oversized concrete load and failed to stop for a red light at the intersection, according to a press release.

Prosecutors charged Vega with three counts of first-degree Aggravated Manslaughter and three counts of second-degree Vehicular Homicide in May. On Tuesday, he was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force in Georgia. Authorities say he is pending extradition and will be pending a detention hearing in New Jersey.

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