Wayne Man Charged In Fatal Paterson Crash: Prosecutor

PATERSON, NJ — The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office announced charges Thursday for a Wayne man involved in an Aug. 9 car crash which killed a Paterson man.

Asante Cugliari, 22, of Wayne, is charged with death by auto and vehicular homicide in relation to the crash at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and East 26th Street.

On Aug. 9, police responded to the area to find Gustavo Marte, 58, of Paterson, dead at the scene, the Prosecutor's Office said.

An investigation began that day, culminating in the charges announced Thursday.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the state has filed a motion for pretrial detention for Cugliari, which will be heard by a Superior Court Judge Oct. 26.

The death by auto charge is a second degree offense carrying a sentence of five to 10 years.

That offense is subject to New Jersey's No Early Release Act, which requires a person convicted of a first or second degree "violent" offense to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence.

Defined by the state, a violent crime is any crime in which the defendant causes death, serious bodily injury or threatens the "immediate use of a deadly weapon," according to the language of the act.