By: Richard L. Smith
A 21-year-old Clifton man has been arrested and charged in connection with a multi-vehicle crash in North Bergen that killed a woman and left five others injured earlier this year.
According to information released by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, members of the Hudson County Regional Collision Investigation Unit arrested Mahmoud Khalifa on Monday, August 10, following an investigation into the May 30 crash.
Police were called to the area of Tonnelle Avenue and 70th Street shortly after 4:30 a.m. that Saturday after receiving reports of a multi-vehicle collision.
Responding officers found four damaged vehicles at the scene: a tractor-trailer, an Alfa Romeo Giulia, a Hyundai Tucson and a BMW 435i that authorities said was being driven by Khalifa.
The driver of the Hyundai, identified as 34-year-old North Bergen resident Karen Velasquez-Ochoa, was found unresponsive inside her vehicle and pronounced dead.
Authorities said four occupants of the Alfa Romeo and a passenger traveling in Khalifa’s BMW were treated for injuries.
Following the investigation, Khalifa was charged with aggravated manslaughter, death by auto, five counts of assault by auto and causing death while driving with a suspended license.
Khalifa was arrested at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Secaucus and transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility, where he was being held pending his first court appearance.