Maryland Man Charged In Fatal 2022 South Brunswick Crash: Prosecutor

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A man from Maryland was charged in connection with the fatal crash that took place in South Brunswick on Dec. 22, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said.

Franklin Hunter, 32, of Maryland, was charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, second-degree vehicular homicide, second-degree knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death, third-degree causing death while driving unlicensed, second-degree aggravated assault, and third-degree receiving stolen property.

On Dec. 22, 2022, at 4:26 p.m., authorities responded to Beekman Road following the report of a multi-vehicle crash.

On arrival, authorities determined that a Dodge Charger was leaving the scene of an armed robbery in Franklin Township. While fleeing, the vehicle crashed into three separate occupied vehicles, police said.

Joshuah Matthews, 31, of Washington, D.C., who was a passenger of the Dodge Charger, was found dead in the vehicle, while the other occupants fled the scene with the assistance of other involved parties.

According to investigation, the vehicle was stolen from Maryland. The occupants of the other vehicles were taken to local hospitals to receive treatment for their injuries.

Investigators determined that Hunter was the driver of the Dodge Charger that caused the crash and fled the scene.

On Jan. 26, Hunter was charged. He is currently being held in the District of Columbia Central Detention Facility on unrelated charges.

The joint investigation was conducted by the South Brunswick Police Department, Franklin Township Police Department, the FBI Branchburg Field Office, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

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