Police in Rutherford have charged the 43-year-old Lyndhurst driver with aggravated assault by auto and possession of heroin following last night’s head-on crash on Route 17.
According to police, officers responded to the 30's block of Route 17 around 10:30 p.m. for a report of a crash.
Police at the scene determined, Soscia Salo, 43, of Lyndhurst, was driving a Dodge Caliber 2008 heading north on Route 17 when it crossed the highway and reportedly slammed into a 2005 Hyundai Accent operated by a 65-year-old Belleville man.
Rutherford firefighters extricated both drivers and ultimately transported them to Hackensack University Medical Center where Belleville man remains in critical condition.
Police charged Salo with fourth-degree assault by auto, possession of heroin, operating of a motor vehicle while in possession of CDS, reckless driving and improper use of a highway or divider.
The remains under investigation.