Former Linden police officer Pedro Abad today was convicted on all charges by a Staten Island jury in connection with the fatal wrong-way crash that killed two men and critically injured a third.
After more than three hours of jury deliberations, a Judge ordered Abad to jail until his June 8 sentencing.
Pedro Abad, 29, was found guilty of four counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, two counts of aggravated vehicular assault, and one count each of manslaughter, assault and reckless endangerment.
He could receive anywhere from 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison for the most serious charge of aggravated vehicular homicide.
An official statement from Chief Parham in response to verdict in Pedro Abad case:
"Frank & Joe were taken from us too soon, and while these proceedings may be behind us, there is no verdict that can take away the emptiness and pain we feel. We continue to pray for the Viggiano and Rodriguez families, and hope that all of those effected by this tragedy can find some closure in this decision as they continue to cope with this loss."
On March 20, 2015, Abad and the three passengers - Joseph Rodriguez, Linden P.O. Frank Viggiano, both 28, and Patrik Kudlac, 25, also a Linden police officer - were on their way back from Curves, a Charleston strip club, shortly before the 4:40 a.m., when Abad entered the southbound expressway in the northbound direction near Arden Avenue slamming into a tractor trailer killing Rodriguez and Viggiano.
Linden officer, Patrik Kudlac, was critically injured and subsequently forced to resign from the department as a result of his injuries.