Linden police officer pleads not guilty to multiple manslaughter charges

Linden police officer Pedro Abad pleaded not guilty to two counts of vehicular manslaughter and other charges in connection with a fatal car crash on Staten Island last March.

The Richmond County District Attorney's Office says Abad turned himself into the NYPD and was arrested before appearing in Staten Island Supreme Court on Monday on crutches and with a wheelchair. He posted $25,000 bail after entering his plea and left the courthouse.

MyCentralJersey.com reports that Abad turned over his driver's license and passport.

In a now unsealed 27-count indictment, Abad is alleged to have had a 0.24 blood alcohol level and drove a high rate of speed on the West Shore Expressway during the head-on crash in the early morning hours of March 20. He also faces aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault, reckless endangerment  and other crimes in the crash which led to the death of Linden Officer Frank Viggiano and friend Joe Rodriguez. The indictment reveals serious physical injury to drivers Eddy Canela and Adrien Cedeno

“He’s upset,” Abad’s lawyer, Mario Gallucci, told reporters outside the courthouse. “He’s as upset as you would expect somebody to be. This wasn’t fun and games — he’s upset. He lost two friends and hurt another.”

Linden police have come under fire for Abad's eight previous drunk driving arrests and possible special treatment he received by the court. Records show Abad was arrested on a DUI charge in Roselle in 2011. According to an earlier report by NJ.com, Abad drove his car through the wall of a neighborhood supermarket causing structural damage. That arrest apparently led to no citation or violation.

If convicted on the most serious charges of vehicular manslaughter he faces a maximum prison sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison under New York State law.

Abad's next court date is Oct. 29.