Paterson Man Charged in Route 208 Crash

A 27-year-old Paterson man has been arrested and charged in connection with the on Route 208 South in Fair Lawn, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli announced in a statement.

Daniel Nunez faces one count of third degree aggravated assault by auto, two counts of fourth degree aggravated assault by auto and a count of fourth degree hindering apprehension and prosecution.   

Nunez was also issued summonses for DWI, reckless driving, open alcoholic container, driving while suspended and/or unlicensed and failure to maintain a lane.

A joint investigation conducted by members of the Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit and the Fair Lawn Police Department determined that Nunez, who was transporting two female passengers, lost control of his Infiniti G35 while driving south on the Saddle River Road on-ramp at approximately 6:30 a.m.

Nunez struck a curb and crossed over a grass median onto Route 208 South/Route 4 East, where he struck a southbound Nissan Rogue being driven by Michael Shustyk, of Franklin Lakes, authorities said.

The impact spun Nunez' Infiniti around the Rogue, leaving it to rest facing north in the right hand lane of Route 208 South. 

Authorities learned that Nunez and his two female passengers, Lauren Solano, 27, and Katrina Taormina, 22, all worked together at a bar in Paterson and had been at a house party in Fair Lawn prior to the collision.

When questioned by authorities after the accident, Nunez appeared intoxicated, denied that he had been driving the Infiniti and gave the responding officers a fake name, police said.

A plastic cup containing what is believed to be an alcoholic beverage was found near his driver's seat, authorities said. A blood sample taken from Nunez will be submitted for toxicological testing.

All four individuals involved in the accident were transported to Hackensack University Medical Center with varying degrees of injury. Solano, the front passenger in the Infiniti, suffered a serious head injury and other internal injuries. Taormina, the back seat Infiniti passenger, and Shustyk, the driver of the Nissan Rogue, suffered only minor injuries and were treated and released. Nunez also suffered minor injuries in the accident.

He is being held on $150,000 bail with no 10 percent option and will appear in Fair Lawn municipal court on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

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