NEW YORK – A former New Jersey police officer has been convicted in a wrong-way drunken-driving crash in New York that killed a fellow officer and another man.
A jury on Thursday found 29-year-old Pedro Abad guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, reckless endangerment and other crimes.
Prosecutors say the former Linden officer had been drinking at a Staten Island strip club before his vehicle collided head-on into a tractor-trailer. Killed were two of his passengers, Joseph Rodriguez and Officer Frank Viggiano. Another Linden officer was critically injured.
Prosecutors say Abad's blood-alcohol level was 0.24, three times the legal limit for driving.
The defense says authorities didn't properly obtain a blood sample and couldn't prove intoxication.
Abad was remanded to jail until his sentencing June 8.
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