Cops: Drunk Driver Crashes, Kills 3 in Fiery Multi-Car Wreck on Route 80

A man, woman, and baby were killed when the vehicle they were driving in was sandwiched between two other vehicles at 1:37 a.m. Saturday morning, New Jersey State Police announced.

A preliminary investigation revealed Bhavuk Uppal, 22, of Mountain Lakes, crashed into a Kia sedan with his Cadillac Escalade near mile-marker 34.7 on Route 80 westbound, Sgt. Jeff Flynn said. As a result, the Kia then crashed into a Jeep Grand Cherokee in front of it, which had two occupants, Flynn said.

The chain reaction resulted in the Kia, which had an unidentified man, woman, and baby, to become fully engulfed in flames, Flynn said. All three occupants were pronounced dead at the scene at 4 a.m.

The occupants of the Jeep, K Santiago-Madera, 26, and Brandon Green, 32, both of the Bronx, were taken to Morristown Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Uppal, whose vehicle ran off the right side of the roadway and overturned in a grass embankment, was also taken to Morristown Medical Center where he was treated and later released, Flynn said.

Uppal was taken to the Netcong Station where he was charged with three counts of death by auto, two counts of assault by auto, causing death or injury while driving while suspended, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving while intoxicated.

He was lodged in Morris County Correctional Facility in lieu of $300,000 bail with no 10-percent option.