Ex-NJ man faces charges in Kearny crash that critically hurt 2

A 22-year-old former Bergen County resident was arrested Friday stemming from a brutal crash involving a car and a parked tractor-trailer, which left two passengers critically hurt.

Daniel Leal Jr., now of Meriden, Connecticut, has been charged with two counts each of second-degree aggravated assault and third-degree assault by auto while driving under the influence resulting in serious bodily injury.

Leal had been driving under the influence in a 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer with three passengers when it crashed into the large truck parked along the side of Route 7, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez.

Kearny police responded to the wreck after 4 a.m. on Oct. 19, 2021, in the area of Route 7 and the Harrison Avenue split.

Two passengers, a 19-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man, both of Passaic, were critically hurt.

Leal and a second 20-year-old Passaic man suffered injuries not considered life-threatening.

He also has been charged with fourth-degree assault by auto while driving under the influence (resulting in bodily injury) and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, as police recovered a gun from the trunk of the car.

Leal was being held at Hudson County jail on Monday, pending a first court appearance.

Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

The 99 top paying jobs in New Jersey

How much do you make? These are the occupations in New Jersey with the highest median annual compensation. Source: Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022

LOOK: Here's where people in every state are moving to most

Stacker analyzed the Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey data to determine the three most popular destinations for people moving out of each state.

How much does the average NJ home cost? Median prices by county

Everything is costing more these days — and housing is certainly no exception in New Jersey.

Data for 2022 from January through August, compiled by New Jersey Realtors, shows that South Jersey has been seeing homes hit the market and sell in less than a month, on average.

Median prices for single-family homes have reached $500,000 and above in nine counties in North and Central Jersey.

All but two counties have seen houses go for more than the list price, on average, this year.

See the Must-Drive Roads in Every State

LOOK: What are the odds that these 50 totally random events will happen to you?

Stacker took the guesswork out of 50 random events to determine just how likely they are to actually happen. They sourced their information from government statistics, scientific articles, and other primary documents. Keep reading to find out why expectant parents shouldn't count on due dates -- and why you should be more worried about dying on your birthday than living to 100 years old.

Source: Man faces charges in Kearny, NJ crash that critically hurt 2 passengers

Filed Under: Bergen County, Crime, Garfield, Hudson County, Kearny, Passaic

Categories: New Jersey News, News