LAKEWOOD — A Red Bank man has been charged with two counts of aggravated manslaughter and two counts of strict liability vehicular homicide in connection with a fatal crash that killed two people in Lakewood on July 26.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced Thursday that Raul Luna-Perez, 43, was taken into custody at a federal detention center in Elizabeth following the upgraded charges.
Luna-Perez was initially charged on July 27 with two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of assault by auto, following the late-night crash near Cross Street and Hearthstone Drive.
An investigation revealed that Luna-Perez was driving a Dodge Durango eastbound on Cross Street when he crossed the center line and struck a Nissan Sentra head-on. The driver of the Sentra, Maria Pleitez, 42, of Lakewood, died at the scene. An 11-year-old female passenger died at a local hospital, while another 11-year-old girl in the rear seat was treated and released.
Authorities said Luna-Perez showed signs of impairment at the scene. A court-authorized blood draw revealed a blood alcohol concentration of .19, more than twice the legal limit. Investigators estimate his BAC was approximately three times the legal limit at the time of the crash.
According to prosecutors, Luna-Perez was driving at about 60 miles per hour, passed four other vehicles, and crossed a double yellow line moments before the collision.
After his initial arrest, Luna-Perez was released under strict home detention due to New Jersey bail reform guidelines. He was later transferred to federal custody on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer.
“With the upgraded charges, we are seeking his detention once again,” Billhimer said. “Thanks to our partnership with ICE, he has been returned to Ocean County to face justice.”
The investigation involved the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad, Lakewood Township Police Department, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, and ICE.
