Driver Charged In Crash That Killed 3 In Jefferson Township, N.J.
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A man was hit with multiple charges Sunday in connection with a crash in Jefferson Township, N.J. that killed three people – including an 11-year-old girl and a pregnant woman along with her unborn baby.
Luis Torres, 37, of Jersey City, was charged Sunday with multiple counts of aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide and assault by auto in the crash, which was reported around 6:50 p.m. Saturday on Route 51 near Heller's Lane in Jefferson Township, according to the Morris County Prosecutor's office.
Police learned that Torres was driving a 2002 Ford Explorer south on Route 15 with nine passengers aboard, when he swerved and left the roadway, prosecutors said. The sport-utility vehicle flipped over and several people were ejected, prosecutors said.
Two people – Lucia Colon, 62, and Tevia Booth, 11, both of Jersey City – were pronounced dead at the scene, prosecutors said.
A third woman – Julissa Colon, 36, also of Jersey City – was pronounced dead afterward at Morristown Memorial Hospital. Colon was pregnant at the time, and her unborn child was also killed, prosecutors said.
The driver and the other six passengers were taken to St. Clare's-Dover hospital with moderate to severe injuries, prosecutors said.
An arrest warrant for Torres was signed Sunday, and he was subsequently charged, prosecutors said. They did not specify the exact basis for the charges.
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