A Tarrytown, New York man accused of running over a 31-year-old Bronx woman and dragging her beneath a U-Haul trailer on Route 17 South in Paramus is expected to face a judge Thursday, as a second man now stands charged in connection with the same case. Krisiann Reyes Rivera died last week after the crash near Westfield Garden State Plaza, according to officials.
The collision happened on Oct. 19 when a 2024 Acura towing a U-Haul trailer, driven by Estuardo G. Rodriguez, 31, struck a 2015 Buick carrying Reyes Rivera as a passenger, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office. The prosecutor's office said the crash occurred at approximately 5:09 p.m., though NorthJersey.com reported the time as approximately 5:10 p.m. After the initial impact, officials say Reyes Rivera got out of the Buick and walked toward Rodriguez's car, striking its windows, according to News 12 New Jersey.
Prosecutors say Rodriguez then accelerated, striking Reyes Rivera and knocking her to the ground before running her over with the trailer's rear tires as he fled the scene. She was rushed to Hackensack University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, per the same prosecutor's statement.
Bystanders Chased Down The Fleeing Driver
Rodriguez did not get far. Witnesses who followed his Acura managed to block it in traffic roughly a half-mile from the crash site, helping police take him into custody, the prosecutor's office said. He was charged with second-degree death by auto, second-degree knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, third-degree endangering an injured victim, and third-degree driving while suspended in a crash resulting in death, along with related motor-vehicle offenses and driving while intoxicated.
A search of the Acura and trailer turned up one suspected Ecstasy pill, one suspected Percocet pill and several hundred THC cartridges, investigators said in the same release. Rodriguez was remanded to the Bergen County Jail to await his appearance in Bergen County Superior Court, which News 12 New Jersey reports is scheduled for Thursday.
Drug Charges Widen To A Second Man
On Oct. 23, prosecutors filed additional charges against Rodriguez, this time for alleged drug distribution, including second-degree possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, conspiracy and two counts of possession, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office. That same day, Michael C. Marciano, 47, of Fairport, New York, surrendered to authorities and was charged with related drug-distribution and conspiracy offenses.
Investigators determined the Acura Rodriguez was driving did not belong to him but to Marciano, who had also rented the U-Haul trailer involved in the crash, prosecutors said. The prosecutor's office emphasized that the charges against both men are merely accusations and that each is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
A Chef Remembered By Family And Friends
Reyes Rivera worked as a chef at a Park Avenue restaurant, and loved ones have described her as hardworking and loving, according to ABC7 New York. Her death has left friends and family searching for answers as the case against Rodriguez and Marciano moves through Bergen County Superior Court.
