Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said that a Brooklyn man has pleaded guilty today in causing the death of a 45-year old Ocean Township man and injuring three others while driving under the influence.
Officials said Aleksander Isserovich, 39, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty to one count of death by auto in the second degree, three counts of assault by auto in the fourth degree, and driving while under the influence of controlled substances which caused the fatal crash on September 6, 2017.
Under a plea agreement reached with Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Keith Abrams, Isserovich will be sentenced to a prison term of 7 years for causing the crash that killed Jason Appio and injured the drivers of three other vehicles. This term is subject to the No Early Release Act. As such, the defendant will have to serve 85 percent of his prison term before becoming eligible for parole.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 18th in New Brunswick by Superior Court Judge Michael Toto.
The defendant was arrested and charged following an investigation by New Jersey State Trooper Rafael Castro and Detective Donald Heck of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation determined that Isserovich was driving a tractor-trailer on Route 440 South, near milepost 2.7, and rear-ended the Hyundai Sonata driven by Appio. The Sonata jolted forward striking another passenger vehicle. The tractor-trailer then jackknifed and hit two other passenger cars.
Police said Jason Appio, 45, of Ocean Township, was pronounced dead at Raritan Bay Medical Center - Perth Amboy Division, where he was taken following the crash.
The drivers of the three other vehicles who were involved in the crash were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick and were treated for their injuries.
EMS transported Isserovich, driver of the tractor-trailer, to Raritan Bay Medical Center – Perth Amboy Division where he was treated for his injuries.