Hazlet Man Remains Critical After Driving Wrong Way On Parkway

ABERDEEN, NJ — It still remains unknown what caused a 35-year-old Hazlet man to drive head-on into oncoming traffic on the Garden State Parkway Saturday morning, colliding with an SUV full of children and seriously injuring himself, his passenger and the other driver, said New Jersey State Police as of Monday afternoon.

The Hazlet driver was the most seriously injured in the crash: Nicholis C. Alfano, 35, of Hazlet, had to be airlifted from the Parkway Saturday morning and was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the nearest trauma center. He remains there Monday night in critical condition, according to a hospital spokesman.

The children required medical treatment, but they were not seriously injured.

The crash occurred just south of Exit 117 in Aberdeen Twp. at 11:02 a.m. Saturday, April 27: Alfano was driving a 2006 Jeep Cherokee south down the Parkway when he suddenly veered off the road, crossed over a grassy median and collided head-on with a 2014 Honda Pilot driving in the northbound lanes, according to State Police.

That Honda Pilot was carrying six children from Brooklyn, ranging in ages from 7 to 16, said State Police. All the children required medical treatment for injuries that were not life threatening.

Debris from the impact hit a third car, a Honda Accord. The driver of that car was not injured.

The driver of the Honda Pilot, Stephen Roberson, 59, of Union Beach, suffered moderate injuries.

Alfano's passenger, James J. Cotugo, 42, of Union Beach, also suffered moderate injuries, police said.

Trooper Alejandro Goez said as of Monday afternoon, the accident remains under investigation, and it has not yet been determined what exactly caused Alfano to veer into oncoming traffic.

"Serious accidents like this can take several weeks to investigate," said Trooper Goez, a media spokesman for the New Jersey State Police.

Alfano has not been charged with any crime or wrongdoing. The crash backed up traffic on the Garden State Parkway for hours at midday Saturday.