Brentwood man killed, 2 hurt in multivehicle crash on NJ Turnpike, state police say

A 55-year-old man from Brentwood was killed, and two others in the car he was riding in were injured, in a chain-reaction crash Saturday on the New Jersey Turnpike, New Jersey State Police said.

Police identified the victim as Luis Choez-Padilla and said he was the rear-seat passenger in a Nissan Altima that was struck from the rear by a box truck in the southbound lanes of the western spur of the turnpike in Ridgefield, New Jersey. The crash occurred at the 115.6 mile marker around 2 p.m. Saturday.

The driver of the Altima, identified as Yenifer Choez, 28, of Brentwood, and the front-seat passenger, identified as Angela Delgado, 51, also of Brentwood, suffered what police described as minor injuries. Police could not immediately detail their relationship to the victim, Choez-Padilla.

Police said that after being struck by the box truck, the truck and Nissan also were involved in collisions with a Honda CR-V and a Toyota Highlander.

There were no other reported injuries.

Police said there have been no arrests in the case, but said the investigation is continuing.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”