A 26-year-old Orange man was arrested Tuesday in connection with a drunk-driving crash that killed another driver on Route 21 in Passaic back in July, with prosecutors upgrading the charge to a first-degree offense because the collision happened near a city middle school. Danny Serrano now faces both second-degree and first-degree death by auto charges tied to the July 6 crash that left a 32-year-old Paterson man dead.
According to Paramus Daily Voice, the crash happened around 4:15 a.m. on Route 21 southbound near the Dayton Avenue exit in Passaic. Authorities say Serrano was driving a white Toyota Camry when he struck a gray Toyota Camry driven by the Paterson man. Both drivers were taken to Saint Joseph's University Medical Center, where the Paterson driver was pronounced dead. Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Passaic Police Chief Luis Guzman announced the arrest, per the same outlet's report. Authorities have not officially released the victim's identity, though sources told the Daily Voice he was Inocencio Suarez Rodriguez.
Prosecutors say Serrano's blood alcohol content was above the legal limit at the time of the crash. He was arrested without incident on Tuesday and is now awaiting his first court appearance, the outlet's report notes.
Why the Charge Jumped to First-Degree
The reason Serrano faces an enhanced first-degree charge rather than just a second-degree one comes down to geography: the crash occurred within 1,000 feet of Muhammad Ali School No. 23, according to the Daily Voice's report. Under New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 2C:11-5, death by auto is elevated from a second-degree crime to a first-degree crime when a fatal reckless driving incident happens while a driver is under the influence on or within 1,000 feet of school property or a designated school crossing, according to Justia Law. The statute carries real weight: a first-degree conviction brings a potential 10 to 20 years in state prison, compared to five to 10 years for the second-degree version, the same source explains.
The crash occurred at 4:15 a.m. on July 6. As FindLaw notes, the statute provides no defense based on a driver's ignorance of being near a school or on the school not being in session. Muhammad Ali School No. 23, at 63 Dayton Avenue, serves roughly 440 seventh and eighth graders in the Passaic City School District, according to Passaic Public Schools.
What Serrano Could Face If Convicted
Both the second-degree and first-degree death by auto charges against Serrano fall under New Jersey's No Early Release Act, the Daily Voice's report states. Per the The Tormey Law Firm, NERA mandates that offenders convicted under either charge serve at least 85 percent of their prison sentence before becoming eligible for parole, with an additional three to five years of parole supervision tacked on after release.
The stretch of highway where the crash occurred is no stranger to danger. Route 21 is a 14.3-mile state highway running along the west bank of the Passaic River and connecting Newark, Passaic, Clifton, and Paterson, according to Wikipedia. Hoodline previously reported a recent shooting near milepost 10.9; that story also mentioned a separate shooting near Exit 11B in July 2024.
A Broader Pattern of DUI Fatalities
A Broader Pattern of DUI Fatalities Serrano is accused of driving under the influence in a crash that killed another driver. More than 80 percent of deceased drivers who tested positive for alcohol that year had blood alcohol levels at or above the 0.08 percent legal limit, the same source notes.
There has been some improvement more recently. Statewide traffic fatalities across New Jersey dropped 15 percent in 2025, while pedestrian deaths fell nearly 24 percent, from 230 in 2024 to 175 in 2025, according to data from the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General cited by Hoodline. That decline followed the state's 2025 creation of the Target Zero Commission to curb road deaths.
The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office at 1-877-370-PCPO.
