A 20-year-old New Jersey man was arrested and charged with manslaughter exactly one year after authorities in New York say he caused a crash that killed a U.S. Marine.
Valentino Merceda and Cyrus Silverio were speeding south on the Palisades Interstate Parkway at 9:45 p.m. on April 13, 2023 in separate BMWs near the Clarkstown exit when both tried to pass a third car, New York State Police said in a statement.
Mercada and Silverio’s vehicles collided when both attempted to merge into the right lane, officials said. That caused Silverio’s car to overturn before crashing into the third vehicle and a rock bridge abutment.
Silverio, 20, of Clifton, was pronounced dead at the scene. A Private First Class in the U.S. Marine Corps, Silverio served with Marine Aircraft Group 49 and was stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, according to an online obituary. Silverio, a 2022 graduate of Clifton High School, is survived by his parents, brother and grandparents as well as an aunt and uncle.
Merceda, 20, of Clifton, was being held at the Rockland County jail following his arrest on Saturday. Attorney information wasn’t immediately available.