Lede: A Brick man faces charges of aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide following a deadly eight-vehicle crash in Lakewood on March 7.
According to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, Brian Baldari, 47, was traveling at 103 mph in the wrong lane on Route 70 around 5:50 a.m. He collided head-on with a Mazda CX5 driven by Edwin Borja, 66, of Manchester.
Baldari's Cadillac CT5 Blackwing then struck six additional vehicles before bursting into flames, trapping him inside. He suffered serious burns and was airlifted first to Jersey Shore University Medical Center and later to Weill Cornell Medicine Burn Center in Manhattan, where he was treated and released.
Borja was also airlifted to Jersey Shore, where he succumbed to his injuries on March 18. Another driver, whose identity has not been disclosed, was treated and released from Ocean University Medical Center in Brick. The remaining drivers involved sustained no injuries.
Baldari surrendered to Lakewood Police on Wednesday and was taken to Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing. The investigation involves the Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad, Lakewood Police Department, and the Crime Scene Investigations Unit of the Ocean County Sheriff's Office.