Former Union County Police Officer Convicted In 2021 Tinton Falls Fatal Crash

Friday, March 13, 2026, 7:30 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

TINTON FALLS, NJ.- A former Union County police officer has been convicted by a jury in connection with a 2021 motor vehicle crash in Monmouth County that killed two people, authorities announced Thursday.

     Following a week-long trial before Ocean County Superior Court Judge David M. Fritch, John P. McClave III, 38, of Toms River, was found guilty of two counts of second-degree Vehicular Homicide, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago.

     The convictions stem from a fatal collision that occurred on the evening of October 9, 2021, in Tinton Falls, which claimed the lives of Angel L. Acevedo Jr., 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, and his wife, Daniela Correia Salles, 35.

     Prosecutors said the crash occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. when officers from the Tinton Falls Police Department and firefighters from the Wayside Fire Company responded to reports of a serious collision on Asbury Avenue near the Garden State Parkway overpass.

     Upon arrival, emergency responders encountered two heavily damaged vehicles: a 2018 GMC Canyon pickup truck driven by McClave and a 2020 Toyota Corolla driven by Acevedo.

     Authorities said Acevedo and Salles suffered multiple severe injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.

     McClave, who sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries, was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment.

Investigation Revealed Reckless Driving And Intoxication;

     A joint investigation conducted by the Monmouth County Serious Crash Analysis Response Team (SCART), the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Unit, and the Tinton Falls Police Department determined that McClave was driving recklessly while under the influence of intoxicating substances at the time of the collision.

     Investigators concluded that McClave’s pickup truck left the lanes of the Garden State Parkway without significantly slowing down or changing direction.

     According to investigators, the vehicle struck an embankment after leaving the roadway, causing it to become airborne before ultimately crashing into the Toyota Corolla occupied by Acevedo and Salles.

     The violent impact resulted in the deaths of the couple at the scene.

     Authorities also determined that McClave was on his way to work at the time of the crash.

Case Moved To Ocean County;

     Due to McClave’s status as a law enforcement officer in Hillside, Union County, the case was transferred out of Monmouth County on November 13, 2024, to Ocean County Superior Court because of a potential conflict of interest.

     The trial ultimately concluded with the jury returning guilty verdicts on both counts of second-degree vehicular homicide.

     Under New Jersey law, second-degree vehicular homicide carries a potential prison sentence of five to ten years per count, though sentencing decisions remain at the discretion of the court.

     A sentencing date for McClave has not yet been publicly announced.

Editor’s Note:

This article was written by Art Fletcher and is based on information released by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and investigative findings from the Monmouth County Serious Crash Analysis Response Team (SCART) and the Tinton Falls Police Department. At the time of publication, court records indicate the jury returned guilty verdicts on two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide. Additional details, including sentencing proceedings, will be reported as they become available.