Man Charged In 4-Vehicle Crash That Killed Hudson County Woman

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — A Clifton man has been charged in a crash in North Bergen that killed a local woman in May.

Mahmoud Khalifa, 21, has been charged with aggravated manslaughter, death by auto, and five counts of assault by auto, said the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office on Monday.

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He was also charged with causing death while driving suspended, prosecutors said.

Shortly after 4:30 a.m. on May 30, the North Bergen Police Department was notified of a multi-vehicle crash in the area of Tonnelle Avenue and 70th Street, prosecutors said.

Four vehicles had been damaged in the crash, prosecutors said: a tractor trailer, an Alfa Romeo Giulia, a Hyundai Tucson, and a BMW 435i driven by Khalifa.

The driver of the Hyundai Tuscan – later identified as Karen Velasquez-Ochoa, 34, of North Bergen – was found unresponsive inside her car and pronounced dead.

For people in the Alfa Romeo and a passenger in Khalifa's car were treated for injuries.

Khalifa was arrested at the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office in Secaucus and taken to the Hudson County Jail to await a first court appearance, prosecutors said.