ROXBURY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Morris County) — An East Rutherford man has been sentenced to state prison in connection with a fatal single-vehicle crash that killed his passenger in Roxbury Township last year, authorities said.
Alexander Serrano, 34, was sentenced June 18 by Superior Court Judge Robert Hanna to five years in New Jersey State Prison after pleading guilty to second-degree reckless vehicular homicide.
The sentence is subject to New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, which requires certain offenders to serve 85% of their prison sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
Serrano entered his guilty plea on April 13.
The charge stemmed from a crash that occurred at approximately 5:30 a.m. on April 28, 2025, at the intersection of Howard Boulevard and Ledgewood Road/Mount Arlington Road in Roxbury Township.
According to authorities, responding officers found a 2003 Chevrolet Express van that had crashed into a tree and sustained heavy damage.
Investigators determined Serrano was driving the van and exhibited signs of being under the influence at the scene. He was transported to Morristown Medical Center for treatment and was later taken to the Morris County Correctional Facility, where he was charged.
The van’s front-seat passenger, Esmeralda Melchar, 30, of East Rutherford, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation was conducted by the Roxbury Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit.
