Driver’s blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit in 2024 crash that killed Hillside man
HACKENSACK, NJ – A Hasbrouck Heights man has been sentenced to six years in state prison for a drunk driving crash that killed a passenger on Interstate 80 in Teaneck, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced Monday.
Key Points
- Julio C. Guerrero-Brito, 41, pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide in a 2024 crash that killed Richard M. Bahamonte, 37, of Hillside.
- Guerrero-Brito’s blood alcohol content was .156%, nearly double the legal limit.
- He was sentenced to six years in state prison under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, requiring 85% of the term to be served before parole eligibility.
Fatal crash on Interstate 80
The crash occurred around 3:08 a.m. on Saturday, February 24, 2024, when state troopers responded to reports of a single-vehicle accident on I-80 eastbound in Teaneck. Troopers found a 2022 Honda Accord heavily damaged and stopped sideways across two lanes of traffic.
The driver, Julio C. Guerrero-Brito, was discovered asleep in the driver’s seat, while his passenger, Richard M. Bahamonte, was unresponsive and without a pulse. Despite CPR and emergency efforts by state troopers and paramedics, Bahamonte was pronounced dead at the scene.
An investigation by the New Jersey State Police determined that the vehicle had been traveling at a high rate of speed before striking a concrete barrier and spinning across the highway. Toxicology reports later revealed Guerrero-Brito’s blood alcohol concentration was .156%, nearly twice the state’s legal limit of .08%.
Guilty plea and sentencing
Guerrero-Brito pleaded guilty on December 1, 2025, before Superior Court Judge James M. Doyle to one count of second-degree vehicular homicide for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
On February 27, 2026, Judge Doyle sentenced Guerrero-Brito to six years in New Jersey State Prison. Under the No Early Release Act, he must serve at least 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Bollenbach and Victim Advocate Susan Tanis represented the state.
Prosecutor Musella thanked the prosecution team, state troopers, and first responders for their work, including members of the Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps and paramedics from Holy Name Medical Center.
Tags: Bergen County, DWI crash, vehicular homicide