2 Die In Route 37 Crash In Toms River As Unlicensed Teen Drove 118 MPH: Prosecutor

TOMS RIVER, NJ — An unlicensed teenager has been charged with aggravated manslaughter, death by auto and other counts after a Route 37 crash that killed two people and critically injured two others Friday night in Toms River, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

None of the victims were identified on Saturday, nor was the teenager, who is being held at the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

The crash happened at 10:58 p.m. when a white BMW hit a Toyota Camry at the intersection of Route 37 and Route 166, Billhimer said.

The BMW had first been seen by Toms River police officers about 10:45 p.m., Billhimer said, driving east over the Thomas A. Mathis Bridge into Seaside Heights a high rate of speed, he said.

Toms River police tried to pull the car over but it kept going north on Route 35 toward Lavallette, still speeding, and Toms River police halted their pursuit due to safety concerns and notified neighboring towns, Billhimer said.

A short time later the BMW was seen driving south on Route 35 by Seaside Heights police, who observed it was going 118 mph in a 35 mph zone, Billhimer said.

Toms River police, who were on the westbound side of the J. Stanley Tunney Bridge, saw the BMW still speeding as it headed west on Route 37, Billhimer said. Those officers followed from a distance but did not pursue the car for safety reasons, he said.

After the BMW crashed into the Toyota Camry, police tried to render aid but the driver and front-seat passenger in the Camry had died, Billhimer said. Two backseat passengers were severely injured and were taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where they remain hospitalized in critical condition, he said.

The teen driving the BMW was not injured, but two passengers were injured, Billhimer said. The front seat passenger was taken to Jersey Shore Unversity Medical Center, and the back seat passenger was taken to Community Medical Center, and both were treated and released, he said.

The teen, who authorities learned did not have a valid New Jersey driver's license, was taken to Community Medical Center for a court-authorized draw of his blood; the test results of the blood draw remain pending, Billhimer said.

The teen has been charged with two counts of aggravated manslaughter; four counts of aggravated assault causing bodily injury while eluding; two counts of death by auto; two counts of causing death while driving unlicensed; two counts of causing injury while driving unlicensed; two counts of aggravated assault manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life; eluding, and four counts of assault by auto, Billhimer said.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad, Toms River Township Police Department, Seaside Heights Police Department, Lavallette Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit collaborated on the investigation.