On a tragic evening on March 17, 2025, Yeshaya 'Shuki' Roth, a 29-year-old White male, was involved in a fatal incident on the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Originally from Israel, Roth was a resident of Flatbush, Brooklyn, where he lived with his wife. He was known for his volunteer work with an Orthodox Jewish civilian patrol group.
On the day of the incident, at approximately 5:40 p.m., Roth was driving a black Jeep Wagoneer southbound on the parkway. In a devastating turn of events, he suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head while behind the wheel. This caused him to lose control of the vehicle, which then crossed the center median into the northbound lanes. The Jeep sideswiped an Infiniti QX6 before coming to a rest against the guardrail near Exit 1.
Emergency responders, including Hatzolah volunteers, arrived at the scene to find Roth with severe head trauma.
He was the sole occupant of the Jeep, along with his uninjured dog, a Pitbull, which was later turned over to Bergen County Animal Control. Roth was rushed to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the Infiniti, a 45-year-old man from Nanuet, New York, was not injured in the collision.
The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office assisted the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police in the investigation. Authorities confirmed that Roth’s death was a suicide and that no other individuals were involved in the incident. Inside the Jeep, investigators found a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun and a single spent shell casing. In the wake of this tragedy, no arrests were made, and there were no suspects. Community members and religious organizations worked with law enforcement to ensure that proper arrangements were made in accordance with Jewish customs. His funeral was scheduled to be held in Israel.
