ST. GEORGE — The off-duty New Jersey police officer accused of being behind the wheel in a wrong way crash that killed two people in March was drunk, according to prosecutors Monday.
Pedro Abad, 27, a Linden, N.J., police officer, pleaded not guilty to 27 charges — which include aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter, assault and driving while intoxicated — stemming from the accident on a Staten Island highway that killed Joseph Rodriguez, 28, and Linden police officer Frank Viggiano, 28.
"He's upset," his lawyer, Mario Gallucci, said outside Staten Island Supreme Court in St. George. "This wasn't fun and games. He's upset, he's lost two friends and hurt another."
Abad still has injuries from the crash and appeared in court on crutches and using a wheelchair.
Gallucci said Abad only got out of rehab for his wounds about a month ago and still needed more surgeries. He said Abad has a speech impediment, limited use of his arms and legs from the crash and may never fully regain use of his legs.
Family members and fellow Linden police officers were at the hearing in court on Monday, where the judge issued a $25,000 bond for Abad. He posted it and was allowed to travel back home.
Abad also waived his extradition and surrendered his passport and driver's license.
Early March 20, Abad was driving three friends — including two fellow officers — home to New Jersey after a night out at a strip club when he drove the wrong way up the West Shore Expressway and crashed into a tractor trailer, police said. He had a .24% blood alcohol content while he was behind the wheel, over the legal limit of .08%, prosecutors said.
Rodriguez, who was in the front passenger seat of the car, was pronounced dead at the scene. Viggiano was taken to Staten Island University Hospital North and pronounced dead shortly after, police said.
The 23-year-old passenger in the back left seat and Abad were injured seriously, police said.
The driver of the tractor trailer suffered minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital.
Abad turned himself into police on Monday and faces up to 25 years in prison for his top count of aggravated vehicular homicide. He's due back in court on Oct. 29.
