A 27-year-old bartender from Kearny lost his leg early Saturday, September 12, after his Lexus ran off westbound Interstate 80 in Montville Township and struck the end of a guardrail near milepost 47.8. Jonathan Vinanzaca-Quizhpi was headed home from his shift at Lake Drive Tavern when the crash happened around 2:30 a.m., and he was rushed to an area hospital with serious injuries.
New Jersey State Police spokesman Trooper II Christopher Postorino confirmed the time, location, and initial circumstances of the crash to WRNJ Radio. According to the preliminary account from state police, it was a single-vehicle crash in which Vinanzaca-Quizhpi's Lexus ran off the left side of the interstate before striking the guardrail. But Lake Drive Tavern, his employer, has publicly claimed a different version of events, according to Daily Voice: that another vehicle struck Vinanzaca-Quizhpi on Route 80 and fled the scene. State police have not mentioned a second vehicle in their preliminary account, and the discrepancy between the two versions remains unresolved.
Investigation Remains Open as Accounts Diverge
State police have confirmed that the investigation into the crash remains active and open, per the same outlet's reporting. If investigators eventually determine that a second driver did strike Vinanzaca-Quizhpi and then leave the scene, that driver could face serious criminal exposure. Under New Jersey's N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1.1, knowingly leaving the scene of a crash that causes serious bodily injury is a third-degree crime carrying three to five years in state prison and fines up to $15,000, according to Justia Law, with no statutory presumption against imprisonment even for a first-time offender.
Separate administrative penalties would also apply under Title 39. A driver convicted of leaving the scene of an injury crash under N.J.S.A. 39:4-129 faces an eight-point license penalty, a mandatory one-year license suspension, fines between $2,500 and $5,000, and up to 180 days in jail, according to attorney Leon Matchin. No charges have been announced in connection with the crash as of now.
A Birthday, a Young Son, and a Long Road Back
The stretch of I-80 near milepost 47.8 was the site of a serious single-vehicle crash in December 2021. A 33-year-old driver and a 24-year-old passenger were seriously injured when their car veered off the westbound lanes and slammed into an overpass concrete barrier, Daily Voice previously reported.
For Vinanzaca-Quizhpi, the crash came at age 27. Vinanzaca-Quizhpi is recovering in a New Jersey hospital, according to a GoFundMe campaign organized by Eva Schwartz. He also has a young son who needs support during his recovery.
Community Rallies Behind Lake Drive Tavern's Bartender
Lake Drive Tavern, where Vinanzaca-Quizhpi worked as a bartender, has described him as hardworking and positive. Fundraiser organizer Eva Schwartz said he is working toward becoming independent again as he adjusts to life after the crash.
Schwartz's GoFundMe campaign set a goal of $26,000 to cover non-covered medical bills, a prosthetic leg, intensive rehabilitation, housing, modified transportation, and financial support for his son. As of Monday, the fund had raised more than $8,000. Schwartz said Vinanzaca-Quizhpi has a substantial life ahead of him and that the accident does not define him.
For now, the exact cause of Vinanzaca-Quizhpi's crash remains an open question, with state police and his employer offering conflicting accounts. As the investigation continues, his recovery needs include prosthetic care, rehabilitation, transportation, housing, and support for his son.
