FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Caitlin Mota
PHONE: (201) 577-6699
EMAIL: cmota@hcpo.org
DATE: Friday, February 2, 2024
GRAND JURY RETURNS INDICTMENT AGAINST DRIVER IN MULTI-FATAL COLLISION ON PATERSON PLANK ROAD
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has released the following information:
A Hudson County Grand Jury has returned an indictment against Ziyang Wang, 23, in connection with a multi-fatal collision on Paterson Plank Road in Jersey City on October 16, 2023.
The indictment, signed by the Honorable Jeffrey R. Jablonski on January 11, 2024, charges Wang, of Jersey City, with three counts of Aggravated Manslaughter in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-4a, crimes of the first degree; three counts of Reckless Manslaughter in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-4b(1), crimes of the second degree; three counts of Death by Auto in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-5a, crimes of the second degree; one count of Aggravated Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b, a crime of the second degree; and one count of Assault by Auto in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1c, a crime of the fourth degree.
On Monday, October 16, 2023, at approximately 12:45 a.m., the Jersey City Police Department was notified of a two-car collision on Paterson Plank Road, south of Congress Street. Responding officers located a BMW X5 M50i that appeared to have crashed head-on with a Kia Amanti. The driver of the Kia – identified as Dylan Weidenfeld, 26, of Jersey City – was pronounced dead at the scene.
The BMW was occupied by five individuals. Wang was identified as the driver of the BMW. A female backseat passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. A male backseat passenger was transported to Jersey City Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. A third backseat passenger, a 19-year-old female, was taken to Jersey City Medical Center with critical injuries. A front seat female passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Data recovered during the preliminary investigation found Wang was operating the vehicle in excess of 100 miles per hour in the seconds leading up to the collision.
The State is represented in this matter by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor John Burke. The above charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C.3.6(b)(6).