Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 40-year-old JUSTIN R. LATORRE of Newark, NJ on charges of assault by auto. The arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Rutherford Police Department under the direction of Chief John Russo.
As previously reported, on Sunday, September 15, 2024, at approximately 5:12 a.m., the Rutherford Police Department responded to Route 3 West in reference to a motor vehicle accident. Officers arrived to find that a 2022 Ford Ranger, operated by JUSTIN R. LATORRE, had collided with a 2018 Honda HRV. While four of the occupants of the Honda were believed to be injured, ultimately only three of them were treated for varying degrees of injury. During the initial investigation, responding Rutherford police officers placed LATORRE under arrest for suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Due to the injuries sustained and the suspicion of LATORRE’s intoxication, the Rutherford Police Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit. Members of the Fatal Accident Investigation Unit responded to the scene and a joint investigation was initiated. The investigation revealed that LATORE attempted to negotiate a U-turn in the westbound lanes of Route 3, causing a collision with the Honda HRV.
As a result of the investigation, JUSTIN R. LATORRE was charged with one count of third-degree assault by auto, N.J.S.A 2C:12-1c(2); and two counts of fourth-degree assault by auto, N.J.S.A 2C:12-1c(2); as well as related motor vehicle offenses, including DWI. LATORRE was transported to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, NJ pending a first appearance.
Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He would like to thank the Rutherford Police Department and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation, along with the Paramus and Englewood Police Departments, which both participate in the Bergen County Fatal Accident Investigation Unit Task Force.