Area January 11, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 15 Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli has announced the arrests of Salvatore Benanti, 26, of Franklin Lakes and Kelsi Tichacek, 19, of Paramus in connection with the Jan. 2 auto fatality on Route 17 North in Upper Saddle River. The investigation is being conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, under the direction of Chief Steven Cucciniello and the Upper Saddle River Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Rotella. The investigation has revealed the following: at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 2, witnesses observed two BMWs racing each other at a high rate of speed on Route 17 North. Vehicle #1 was operated by Cameron Jalali-Arki, 26, of Rutherford. Vehicle #2 was operated by Benanti, with Two charged in connection with fatality on Route 17 Tichacek as a passenger. All three individuals are friends. The two vehicles were traveling at speeds believed to be in excess of 100 mph when vehicle #1 lost control in the vicinity of 400 Route 17 North. The vehicle traveled off the roadway several hundred feet, crashed into a parked trailer, and came to rest in the parking lot of Fazio’s Moving and Storage. Jalali-Arki was pronounced dead at the scene. Vehicle #2 remained at the scene. Two lanes of Route 17 North were closed with the assistance of New Jersey Department of Transportation for six hours as the scene was investigated. At this time, there is no evidence of contact between the two vehicles and neither Benanti nor Tichacek was injured. It is alleged that during the investigation, both lied to investigators regarding the events leading up to the collision. Both have been charged with third degree hindering apprehension. In addition, Benanti was charged with motor vehicle summonses of reckless driving and racing on a highway. Additional charges may be considered as the investigation continues. Tichacek was released on her own recognizance. Benanti was released after posting bail in the amount of $10,000. Both are scheduled for first appearance in Upper Saddle River Municipal Court on Jan. 10. Prosecutor Molinelli states that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He thanked the members of the Upper Saddle River Police Department and Bergen County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance and cooperation. Overnight parking (continued from page 9) they created an eyesore and a safety hazard at what they described as the busiest intersection in the township. Donigian questioned if the vehicles were actually being serviced at the site or if that argument was being used by Del Vecchio in order to justify the parking of the Flyte Tyme vehicles at the service station. But Montroy said he relied on the testimony of the experts who testified at the board of adjustment hearing under oath that the vehicles were being serviced on the site on a daily basis. Some members of the board suggested the vehicles were being stored at the site, which is not permitted, but Del Vecchio did not agree that they were being stored there. He emphasized that Montroy had determined that the parking of the Flyte Tyme vehicles on the site while waiting for service it is a permitted use at this site. Peter Scandariato, the planning board’s attorney, advised the board during the public hearing that since that the zoning officer had determined that parking the Flyte Tyme vehicles on this site for service is a permitted use the board could not overrule that determination. But he said the board could impose limits on the number of vehicles that could be parked on the site and how they could be parked there. The Township of Mahwah Youth Sports Boosters recently honored veteran volunteer program administrators/coaches for their contributions to the youth sports program. Booster President Tim Shafer presented the honorees with the Service Appreciation Award. Front row: Coaches Gerry Tracey and Bob Helm. Standing: Coaches Greg Tonnon, Dan Kennedy, Rocky Costantino, President Shafer, Bruce Blake, Lee Ehlermann, and Dennis Burns. Not pictured: Coaches Pete Cassotis, Debbie Migliaccio, Rick Hartigan, and Harold Lehmann. (Photo courtesy of George Wagner.) Volunteers recognized