HILLSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP, NJ (Somerset County) – An Middlesex County man has been charged in connection with a fatal motor vehicle crash that occurred in Hillsborough Township on July 22, according to Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald.
Jaden Brandon Ramos, 20, of Old Bridge Township was charged with second-degree reckless vehicular homicide and fourth-degree assault by auto.
On Friday, July 22, at around 4:07 p.m., police and medical personnel were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash with injuries that occurred in the area of Amwell Road and Cemetery Lane in the Neshanic section of Hillsborough Township, McDonald said.
Responding Officers found a black 2016 Mercedes Benz at final rest facing southeast in the westbound lane with extensive front-end collision damages, McDonald said.
The driver of the Mercedes, identified as an adult male from Flemington, sustained serious left leg injuries and was transported to an area trauma center. The lone passenger in the Mercedes, a 74-year-old female from Flemington, was also transported to an area trauma center where she was later pronounced dead at 5:49 p.m. from injuries sustained in the collision, McDonald said.
The second vehicle involved in the fatal collision, a blue 2007 Dodge Charger, was located approximately thirty feet off the westbound side of Amwell Road with extensive front-end damage. The lone driver of the Dodge Charger, identified as Ramos, was conscious and alert, and was also transported to an area trauma center with complaints of hip pain, McDonald said.
Hillsborough Township Police, in conjunction with the County Prosecutor’s Office Collision Analysis Reconstruction (C.A.R.) Team, conducted an investigation and determined that Ramos had been proceeding eastbound on Amwell Road when he attempted to pass another eastbound vehicle, in a no-passing zone, and into oncoming westbound traffic, when he collided head-on with the Mercedes Benz travelling west, McDonald said.
Police identified two witnesses at the scene who opined that Ramos’ Dodge Charger was travelling well above the posted speed limit of 35 miles-per-hour and in the westbound lane at the time of the fatal collision. Additional forensic evidence analyzed by the CAR-Team indicated that Ramos’ Dodge Charger was travelling between approximately 65 to 67 m.p.h. at the time of impact with the Mercedes, McDonald said.
On Thursday, August 11, at around 8:56 a.m., Ramos surrendered voluntarily without incident to the Hillsborough Township Police at Police Headquarters. He was then lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing, McDonald said.
If convicted of the second-degree charge Ramos could be sentenced between five and ten years in State Prison with 85 % to be served without parole eligibility pursuant to the No Early Release Act. If convicted of the fourth-degree assault charge, he is subject to an additional eighteen months of incarceration.
Prosecutor McDonald, Chief Fodor and Chief McMahon request anyone with information relating to this incident to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-575-3300, the Hillsborough Township Police Department at 908-369-4323 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.
