Caldwell Woman Dies In 5-Car Crash, Cop Injured

West Caldwell, NJ – A New Jersey woman died after suffering injuries in a five-car crash near Passaic and Fairfield Avenues in West Caldwell on Friday morning, authorities said.

According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Maria Tauro, 33, of Caldwell, was involved in the multi-car crash around 8:30 a.m.

Emergency responders transported Tauro to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.

A West Caldwell police officer also suffered non-life threatening injuries during the incident and was transported to Chilton Hospital in Pompton Plains for evaluation, authorities stated.

According to police, the crash took place when a vehicle struck other cars that were stopped at a traffic light. The driver of that car suffered back and neck injuries in the collision, police said.

No charges have been filed against him at this time, authorities said.

The West Caldwell Police Department, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Crash and Fire Investigations Unit and the Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force are conducting an investigation.

The crash closed Passaic Avenue in both directions between Fairfield Avenue and Longmeadow Lane, authorities stated.

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