Trucker Admits To DUI Crash That Killed Little Silver Native

LITTLE SILVER, NJ — A truck driver from Brooklyn admitted Thursday he was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol when he crashed his tractor trailer on Rt. 440 last September, the Middlesex County prosecutor announced. The crash killed a man who lives in Ocean Twp., but was raised in Little Silver, and known by many in the area.

The devastating crash happened at 3:36 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017 on Rt. 440 south through Perth Amboy. Jason Appio, 45, was driving home from his job in Staten Island.

It was a daily commute he'd done for the past twenty years. Appio worked as a Fios technician for Verizon.

Aleksander Isserovich, 39, of Brooklyn, was driving a tractor trailer on Route 440 and rear ended Appio's Hyundai Sonata. The Sonata jolted forward, striking another passenger vehicle. The tractor trailer then jackknifed and struck two other passenger cars.

Just minutes earlier, another driver had called 911 to report that the trucker was driving very erratically. Witnesses said they'd never seen such a bad crash.

Appio was pronounced dead at Raritan Bay Medical Center, where he was taken following the crash. The drivers of the three other vehicles suffered minor injuries, as did Isserovich.

Isserovich, 39, pleaded guilty this week 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, the prosecutor said. As part of his plea deal, he was sentenced to 7 years, and must serve 85 percent of that before he can be released.

The Middlesex County prosecutor's office said they will not release a photo of Isserovich.

Appio is remembered as a hard-working family man. In addition to his wife, Jennifer, he left behind three children; a a fourteen-year-old daughter and two teenage sons, one of whom plays lacrosse for Florida Southern College.

"He never liked that commute. But he did what he had to do to support his family," his sister-in-law Donna Otten told Patch the week he was killed. "He was extremely hard working. He would often work six, seven days a week just to collect the overtime so he could provide for his kids."

Appio is also remembered as a dad who loved to see his kids play sports.

"He literally lived for his kids. He never missed a tournament, never missed a game," said Steve Carcaterra, who runs United Lacrosse, a league based in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Both Appio's sons played in the league and were standouts.

"He attended practices to watch his kids play, but he would always stand off to the side. You could tell he was just happy to be there, watching. At the end of practice, he'd always say, 'Thank you, Coach.' You don't hear that too often from parents nowadays," said Carcaterra. "Then they would all pile into his car and drive home. You could just tell they were a very happy family."

"Hopefully someone reads this and makes a better decision next time," said Carcaterra.

Past Patch reporting: Family, Friends Mourn Little Silver Native Killed By Alleged Drunk Driver