Two passengers in a Volkswagen were killed in a chain-reaction crash on the New Jersey Turnpike last year.
WOOLWICH TWP. -- The family of a Brick man killed in a fiery 2015 accident on the New Jersey Turnpike is suing Volkswagen.
Christopher Calderone was a passenger in a Volkswagen Passat that burst into flames in a chain-reaction crash on Nov. 9 of last year.
Nishank Shah, 24, of Woodbridge, was traveling south on the turnpike in Gloucester County that evening when he struck two cars stopped in the left lane, which was closed at the time.
Shah's vehicle hit the 2004 Passat, driven by Paul Fiorentino, 21, of Point Pleasant. The Passat then struck a Toyota Sienna.
The impact pushed the Passat into a concrete barrier.
The Passat burst into flames, killing 20-year-old Calderone and fellow passenger Rob Critelli, 21, of Summit.
Calderone was a member of a rock band called Fated Endeavor with Fiorentino. The group formed in March 2015 and their debut album, Chasing Sunlight, was released last year.
"He was a budding star," said attorney Erroll J. Haythorn, who is representing the Calderone family. "They just put out their first album."
The lawsuit, filed in state Superior Court, names Shah, Fiorentino, Fiorentino's mother, who owned the car, and Volkswagen.
While there have been no recalls associated with this specific vehicle, this Volkswagen model has been the subject of safety related recalls involving fuel tank leaks and fuel tank fume leaks, Haythorn said.
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"From what we understand, this was a major explosion," Haythorn said. "It clearly did not allow sufficient time for passengers to escape and that's a huge red flag in today's manufacture of automobiles."
A spokesman for Volkswagen said the company does not comment about pending litigation.
The impact on Calderone's family has been huge, Haythorn noted.
"It's absolutely devastating," Haythorn said. "It's a huge hole in this family ... He would have been a big part of his younger brother's life."
Haythorn is now awaiting a response from Volkswagen.
Shah was issued a summons for careless driving. Following a review of the case, the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office determined that Shah would not face criminal charges in the crash. He is due in Woolwich Municipal Court on Nov. 22 for a hearing.
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.