Charges filed in crash that killed New Jersey couple headed to their wedding

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Wednesday, May 8, 2019
N.J. couple on way to their wedding killed in I-78 crash
N.J. couple on way to their wedding killed in I-78 crash. Watch the report from Walter Perez on Action News at 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 19, 2018

READING, Pa. (WPVI) -- A truck driver from California has been charged following a chain reaction crash that killed a New Jersey couple headed to their wedding.

24-year-old Jaspreet Singh Chahal, of Fresno, was charged with homicide by vehicle, reckless driving and related offenses.

The Reading Eagle reports that police in Berks County allege he was distracted by a cellphone conversation and didn't see traffic stopped ahead of him before striking another vehicle.

The crash happened November 14 on Interstate 78 in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

The victims, 42-year-old Joseph Kearney and 35-year-old Kathryn Schurtz of Jersey City were headed to Pittsburgh.

According to police, Chahal's truck hit the couple's SUV from behind. The impact pushed the SUV into several other tractor-trailers, and the vehicles caught fire.

A warrant has been issued for Chahal's arrest.

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