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Angel Acevedo Jr.

Age : 40

Gender : Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 10/09/2021

Location : Garden State Parkway N at Asbury Avenue

City : Tinton Falls

County : Monmoth

State : New Jersey

Agency : Hillsdale Borough Police

Officer(s) :John P. McClave III

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by off-duty police officer vehicle crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 10/09/2021, shortly before 7:30 p.m., 40-year-old Angel L. Acevedo Jr. and his wife, 35-year-old Daniela Correia Salles, were traveling in their 2020 Toyota Corolla eastbound on Asbury Avenue beneath the Garden State Parkway in Tinton Falls when an off-duty Hillside Police officer's pickup truck suddenly left the elevated Parkway and crashed into their car. Both Angel and Daniela suffered catastrophic injuries and died at the scene.
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The officer, John P. McClave III, was driving a 2018 GMC Canyon northbound on the Garden State Parkway while on his way to work at the Hillside Police Department. Investigators determined that McClave's pickup left the travel lane, crossed the shoulder and continued for more than 500 feet across a grassy embankment without significantly slowing or changing direction. The pickup hit an embankment, became airborne above Asbury Avenue and came down onto the couple's Corolla before continuing across the road and striking a tree.
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McClave was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators subsequently determined that he had been driving recklessly while impaired. His blood tested positive for THC, toxicology evidence concluded he was impaired, and investigators found an open container of alcohol in his vehicle. He was also cited for reckless driving, failure to maintain his lane, failure to wear a seat belt and having an open alcohol container.
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Angel was an accomplished engineer who grew up in Atlantic Highlands, graduated from Dartmouth College with an engineering degree and earned a master's degree from the Naval Postgraduate School. He began working as an engineer for the U.S. Army in 2006 and rose to become Chief of Mission Network Communications at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Colleagues remembered him for his reasoned judgment and infectious laugh.
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Angel and Daniela were described by their family as soulmates. They loved traveling, hiking, skiing, photography and gathering friends and relatives at their home, and were remembered for their kindness, humor and positivity. Angel left behind his mother, sister, niece, three younger brothers and a large extended family.
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DISPOSITION:
McClave was charged in March 2022 with two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide. Hillside Police suspended him without pay following the charges. The criminal case was later transferred from Monmouth County to Ocean County because of a potential conflict of interest.
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Following a weeklong trial, an Ocean County jury convicted McClave in March 2026 of two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide. On 05/08/2026, Superior Court Judge David M. Fritch sentenced McClave to two consecutive 8½-year prison terms—one for killing Angel and one for killing Daniela—for a total sentence of 17 years. He must serve 85 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
John P. McClave III was a Hillside Police officer and later detective. At the time he killed Angel and Daniela, he was off duty but driving to the Hillside Police Department to begin work. Hillside Police subsequently suspended him without pay, and by the time of his 2026 conviction and sentencing he was identified as a former Hillside police officer.
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Hillside Police disciplinary records later documented a 288-day suspension against McClave and sustained departmental charges including conduct unbecoming, violations of the code of ethics and standards of conduct, disobedience of laws and written directives, insubordination and other sufficient cause.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/tinton-falls-cop-headed-work-caused-fatal-parkway-crash
https://apnews.com/article/police-new-jersey-homicide-maryland-baltimore-2fb18070033b26a207ec73b9fac0bf7f
https://www.damianofuneralhome.com/obituary/AngelLAcevedoJrand-DanielaCorreiaSalles
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Off-duty-NJ-officer-charged-in-crash-that-killed-17015147.php
https://patch.com/new-jersey/clark/union-county-police-officer-was-drunk-fatal-crash-prosecutor
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/police-officer-sentenced-new-jersey-union-county-crash-deadly/4401999/
https://patch.com/new-jersey/tomsriver/ex-police-officer-toms-river-sentenced-fatal-drunken-parkway-crash
https://hillsidepolice.org/css/hillsidepd/attachments/24593/65dfb6a0471c8_2023_Discipline_Report.pdf