MOUNTAINSIDE BOROUGH, N.J. (Union County) — A North Plainfield man has been charged with vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a fatal crash after authorities say he drove under the influence of alcohol, ran a red light and struck a 65-year-old bicyclist on Route 22 in Mountainside.
Fabian Parra, 35, was charged Monday with second-degree vehicular homicide and second-degree leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel and Mountainside Police Chief Joseph Giannuzzi announced.
The victim was identified as Rocco Della Serra, 65, of Cranford.
Mountainside police responded at about 7:28 p.m. Aug. 6 to the intersection of Route 22 and New Providence Road following reports of a hit-and-run crash involving a bicyclist.
Investigators allege Parra was driving west on Route 22 while under the influence of alcohol when he ran a red light and struck Della Serra. Authorities said Parra continued west after the collision.
Scotch Plains police officers located Parra about three miles from the crash scene and arrested him, according to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.
Parra is being held at the Essex County Jail while awaiting his next court appearance.
Della Serra had recently retired after a 42-year career with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities in Trenton, where he worked as a regulator, according to his obituary.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Union County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force Detective William Hannon at 908-578-8482, Sgt. Nicholas Veltre at 908-347-7330 or Mountainside police Lt. Shaun Bendik at 908-232-8100.
