3-Car Crash Claims Lives of 2, Including NJ Band Member

A three-car collision on the New Jersey Turnpike claimed the lives of two men, including one member of an up and coming New Jersey rock group.

Rob Critelli, 21, of Summit, and Christopher Calderone, 20, of Brick, were both killed on the night of Monday, November 9 when the Volkswagon Passat that they were riding in was struck by from behind by a Toyota Avalon, driven by Nishank Shaw, 24, of Woodbridge.

The Passat crashed, in turn, into the car in front of it, a Toyota Sienna (driven by Igor Lougovtsov, 46, of Yarmouth, Maine). Paul Fiorentino, 21, of Point Pleasant was the driver of the Passat. Both Calderone and Fiorentino were members of the rock group Fated Endeavor.

Critelli and Calderone died at the scene. Fiorentino, Shaw, and Lougovtsov were all transported to local hospitals for minor injuries. New Jersey police have issued Shaw a summons for reckless driving in connection with the accident; no criminal charges are expected to be filed.

NJ driver issued summons for reckless driving

New Jersey State Police report that Lougovtsov was stopped in the southbound left lane just before 5:30 pm and Fiorentino had stopped behind him. The left land was closed at the time and Trooper Jeffrey Flynn reports that the closure was posted. Flynn says that it was not clear if the cars were trying to merge from the closed lane. Shaw then slammed into the Passat driven by Fiorentino, which resulted in the fatalities of Fiorentino’s two passengers.

Shaw was issued a traffic summons, reported on November 30, because he “failed to observe stopped traffic” ahead of him. The Woolwich municipal court has referred the case to the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office for a thorough review, according to court officials, because of the serious nature of the accident. Officer Flynn has stated that he does not expect criminal charges to be filed unless new information comes to light about the nature of the accident.

Your rights as a car accident victim

It is not known at this time whether the families of Critelli or Calderone will file civil charges against Shaw for his involvement in their deaths. Even when criminal charges are not filed, or if a driver is acquitted of such charges, civil charges can still be filed in a separate case.

Accident victims in New Jersey, or their families, have the right to seek counsel for representation in a civil suit if they believe that car accident deaths or injuries occurred because of reckless driving. Failing to pay attention sufficiently in order to avoid parked vehicles may be considered grounds for such a lawsuit. If additional factors are involved, such as excessive speed, alcohol or drug use, or distracted driving, a case will be even stronger.

In such cases, accident victims can pursue cases to receive compensation for such losses or damages as medical bills, lost wages, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, or (in the case of fatalities) wrongful death.

The New Jersey car accident attorneys at Eisbrouch Marsh offer thorough legal consultations for crash victims at no charge. Call 201-342-5545 to schedule a free case review.

Resources

1. NJ.com, Turnpike Crash that Killed 2 Claims Member of NJ Band http://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/index.ssf/2015/11/2_killed_in_nj_turnpike_collision_identified.html
2. NJ.com, Careless Driving Ticket Issued in Wreck that Killed New Jersey Band Member http://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/index.ssf/2015/11/careless_driving_ticket_issued_in_turnpike_double.html