WALL – A 23-year-old woman has been charged in connection with a three-vehicle crash that killed a Brick resident and injured another driver, authorities said.
Tamra G. Lawlor faces charges of second-degree vehicular homicide and fourth-degree assault by auto, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago and Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran.
Police responded shortly after 5:20 p.m. March 5 to the intersection of Route 70 and Morningstar Road, where they found three vehicles involved in a collision.
Authorities identified the drivers as Lawlor, who was operating a Subaru Crosstrek; Eileen Ziesmer, 58, of Brick, who was driving a Toyota Camry; and a 51-year-old Brick woman who was behind the wheel of a Nissan Armada.
Ziesmer was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Lawlor and the Nissan driver were taken to area hospitals with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
An investigation determined that Lawlor was allegedly under the influence of intoxicating substances when she drove through a red light and caused the crash, authorities said.
The investigation was conducted by the Wall Township Police Department, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Unit and the county’s Serious Collision Analysis Response Team.
Lawlor was also issued summonses for driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, failing to observe a traffic signal and possessing open, unsealed marijuana inside a vehicle.
She surrendered to authorities Sept. 1 and was taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution while awaiting a Superior Court appearance.
Assistant Prosecutor Michael Luciano of the Major Crimes Bureau is handling the case. Lawlor is represented by Ocean Township attorney Mitchell Ansell.
The charges are accusations, and Lawlor is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
