Newark Man Charged For Injuring 4 People In Sunday’s Route 3 Car Crash

Monday, September 16, 2024, 6:30 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

RUTHERFORD, NJ.- According to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, following an investigation into Sunday morning’s motor vehicle crash on Route 3 West in the Borough of Rutherford, New Jersey, a 40-year-old Newark, New Jersey, man has been taken into custody and charged with assault by auto charges and multiple motor vehicle summonses.

Charges Filed Following Investigation

     The charges stem from an investigation that began on Sunday, September 15, 2024, when shortly after 5:00 a.m., members of the Rutherford Police Department responded to 911 Emergency Calls reporting a serious motor vehicle crash involving two vehicles on Route 3 West in the Borough of Rutherford.

     Upon arrival, Police Officers discovered that a 2022 Ford Ranger, being operated by Justin R. Latorre, 40, of Newark, had collided with a 2018 Honda HR-V, leaving multiple people injured in the Honda. Although four people were transported to area hospitals, only three were treated for injuries.

Driving While Intoxicated

     During the initial investigation, Rutherford Police Officers placed Lattore under arrest for suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Due to the severity of the injuries and the suspicion of Lattore’s intoxication, Rutherford Police Officers notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, and Detectives responded and commenced an investigation. 

     A joint investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Rutherford Police Department revealed that Lattore attempted to negotiate a U-turn while driving in the westbound lanes of Route 3 when he collided with the Honda HR-V.

      Accordingly, later in the day, on Sunday, September 15, 2024, Lattore was taken into custody and formally charged with one count of third-degree Assault by Auto; and two counts of fourth-degree Assault by Auto, as well as multiple motor vehicle offenses, including Driving While Intoxicated.

     Lattore was processed on the charges and was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Bergen County Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, New Jersey.

“The rules of the court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”