A Union City truck driver has been charged with vehicular homicide in connection with a N.J. Turnpike crash that claimed the life of a Kearny man in June.
The N.J. State Police, working with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, arrested Henry Flores, 55, without incident at his home July 31.
Detectives reportedly have determined that Flores was using a cell phone when his tractor-trailer caused the chain-reaction accident on the Turnpike in Carlstadt. Several people were injured, and Jeffrey Humphrey, 43, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Humphrey, a lifelong Kearny resident, was a medical technology instructor at Montefiore Medical Center and was also the leader of a musical group, The Jeff Humphrey Trio. He was the brother of Kearny Public Library director Josh Humphrey.
The accident occurred at approximately 4:55 p.m., June 9, in the southbound lanes of the highway and resulted in its closure for about eight hours.
Police said Flores was traveling in the left lane when he smashed into the vehicle in front of him that was slowing with traffic. The initial impact caused a crash that involved multiple vehicles. Humphrey’s car was in the middle of the line of cars that were hit.
In addition to vehicular homicide, Flores has been charged with hindering apprehension, reckless driving and improper use of a cell phone.
He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail in lieu of $50,000 full cash bail.
– Karen Zautyk
