Child, Woman Killed, 2nd Child Injured In Head-On Crash, Driver Suspected Of DUI, NJ Prosecutor Says

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A Monmouth County man has been charged in a head-on crash in Lakewood that killed a woman and an 11-year-old girl and injured a second 11-year-old girl on Saturday night.

Raul Luna-Perez, 43, of Red Bank has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of assault by auto in the crash that happened about 11:20 p.m. Saturday, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. He is suspected of impaired driving and a sample of his blood was taken under a court-approved warrant, Billhimer said.

Investigators say Luna-Perez was driving a Dodge Durango east on Cross Street when his vehicle crossed the center line and hit a Nissan Sentra head-on in the area of Hearthstone Drive.

The woman driving the Nissan was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. One of the 11-year-old girls was sitting in the front seat; she was taken to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, where she succumbed to her injuries, authorities said.

The second girl was sitting in the back seat; she was taken to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus and was listed in serious but stable condition, authorities said.

Luna-Perez had two passengers in the Durango; they were taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune with minor injuries and treated and released, authorities said.

First responders detected that Luna-Perez showed signs of impairment and he was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where the blood sample was taken. Authorities are waiting for the results of the testing.

Luna-Perez was taken to the Ocean County Jail in Toms River where he is being held pending a detention hearing.

As of 9 a.m. Monday there was no immigration detainer in place, but it was added to Luna-Perez's Ocean County Jail record later in the morning and was in place as of 12:15 p.m.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad, Lakewood police, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit and Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office collaborated on the investigation.