New Jersey Delivery Driver Dies After Teen Steals Car and Crashes, Police Say

Police have reported that a 46-year-old delivery driver died after trying to stop a teenager from stealing his car in Newark, New Jersey.

John Aponte Alarcon, a father, was making a delivery around 12:45 p.m. when the incident happened. Authorities said he left his car running on the street as he dropped off a package. During that time, a teenage suspect allegedly got into the vehicle and began to drive away.

Police said Alarcon ran back and grabbed onto his car as it moved. The suspect continued driving before crashing into a parked vehicle. The impact caused the car to flip over, trapping and crushing Alarcon under the car. He was taken to a hospital but later died from his injuries on April 4.

Prosecutors said the suspect fled the scene on foot after the crash. He was arrested days later, on Tuesday. Due to his age, his name has not been released.

According to Law & Crime, the teenager now faces several serious charges. These include first-degree murder, carjacking, vehicular homicide, theft of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and endangering an injured victim.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation. Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II has asked anyone with information about the case to call their tip line.

Alarcon’s family said they were first told that he had been in a car accident. They later learned the full details of the tragic incident.

“It has been really difficult,” said his son, Debyd Aponte, in an interview with a local news station. “My dad was a hard-working man. He wasn’t doing anything bad. He was working, trying to provide for us, when this [tragedy] happens,” he further added.

Family members described Alarcon as a devoted father of three sons. They said his sudden death has left them in shock.

In a message shared on a fundraising page for funeral costs, his son wrote about the deep loss. On a GoFundMe Page started to raise money for the funeral, his son wrote, "This has completely shattered our world. One moment he was here, and the next he was gone. Nothing could have prepared us for this kind of pain."

Authorities continue to investigate the case. They have urged the public to come forward with any details that may help.