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Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli announced that TAMER M. AMMAR, a twenty year old Fort Lee, New Jersey man, has been charged with Death by Auto and Reckless, DWI, Assault by Auto. The charges came as a result of an investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor=s Office Major Crimes Unit under the direction of Chief Carmen MARTINO and the Ridgefield Police Department under the direction of Chief Thomas J. GALLAGHER.

On Thursday, July 24, 2014, at approximately 1:30 a.m., the Ridgefield Police Department received a report of a motor vehicle collision involving a single motor vehicle which had struck a building at the intersection of Broad Avenue and Edgewater Road. Officers responding to the scene determined that the driver, Tamer M. AMMAR, of a 2014 Honda Civic was driving north on Broad Avenue when he lost control of his vehicle, drove into the southbound lane of travel and then struck the building. The driver and two passengers, Miles REME, a twenty year old Fort Lee man, and James RACANELLI, a twenty year old Fort Lee man, were seriously injured as a result of the collision and were transported to area hospitals. At approximately 2:40 a.m., Miles REME was pronounced dead at Hackensack University Medical Center.

As a result of a cooperative investigation conducted by members of Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit (FAIU) and the Ridgefield Police Department it was determined that at approximately 1:30 a.m., on July 24, 2014, AMMAR was driving north in the right hand lane of Broad Avenue when he lost control of his vehicle, mounted the sidewalk, on his right hand side, and drove through two bus stop sign posts. AMMAR then drove the Honda off the sidewalk, across the roadway and traveled north in the southbound lane of Broad Avenue. AMMAR then drove over the grass median at the intersection of Broad Avenue and Edgewater Road and drove head-on into the exterior wall of a commercial business at 579 Broad Avenue. The collision scene, from the bus stop sign posts to the building where the Honda came to rest, measured approximately 1400 feet long.

Bergen County Prosecutor John. L. Molenelli

During the course of the continuing investigation, investigators reconstructed the collision scene and determined that AMMAR was driving at a high rate of speed when he recklessly drove off the road, then into oncoming traffic and finally into the commercial building. Investigators also developed information which indicated that Mr. AMMAR was intoxicated, under the influence of controlled dangerous substances, at the time of the collision. A blood sample taken from Mr. AMMAR on the day of the collision was submitted for toxicological examination. Results are pending.

AMMAR was seriously injured as a result of the collision and remains hospitalized.

Tamer M. AMMAR was charged with one count of violating N.J.S.A. 2C:11-5, Death by Auto, and one count of violating N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1c2, Assault by Auto while driving in violation of R.S. 39:4-50 (DWI). Mr. AMMAR was also issued numerous summonses for motor vehicle violations including Driving While Intoxicated, Reckless Driving, Careless Driving, Driving Over the Sidewalk, and Failure to Keep Right. The warrant was issued by Ridgefield Municipal Court Judge David LAFFERTY who authorized that Mr. AMMAR be released on his own recognizance while he remains hospitalized. No arraignment date has been set.

Prosecutor Molinelli states that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and would like to thank the Ridgefield Police Department and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation.