Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and West Caldwell Police Chief Gerard Paris announced today that one person was killed in a five-car crash at approximately 8:30 am today in the vicinity of Passaic and Fairfield Avenues in West Caldwell.
Authorities identified the victim as Maria Tauro, 33, of Caldwell. She was transported to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
A West Caldwell police officer suffered non-life threatening injuries but was transported to Chilton Hospital in Pompton Plains for evaluation.
The driver of the vehicle that struck the other cars that were stopped at a traffic light sustained back and neck injuries.
No charges have been filed against him at this time authorities said.
The crash is being investigated by the West Caldwell Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Crash and Fire Investigations Unit and the Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force.