Toms River man charged with vehicular homicide in Lakewood crash

A Toms River man has been charged with Vehicular Homicide for driving at excessive speeds and causing a crash that claimed the life of a Lakewood resident in March of this year, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer.

An investigation into the March 9 crash run by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Vehicular Homicide Unit and Lakewood Police found that 23-year-old Alejandro Huerta-Arias of Toms River was driving in a 2012 Infinity G35 at an average speed of 91-mph -- more than 40-mph over the posted speed limit -- along Madison Avenue near Courtney Road when he collided with a 2008 Chevrolet Impala, driven by 35-year-old Mark Mandel of Lakewood who was trying to make a left turn at the time.

As a result of that Wednesday morning crash, Mandel and his Chevy Impala were forced into a traffic signal.

Lakewood Police were first on the scene and Mandel was pronounced dead from the crash.

Huerta-Arias was brought to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment after suffering a fractured leg.

Following the investigation, Huerta-Arias was charged Wednesday with Vehicular Homicide and surrendered himself to Lakewood Police.

After turning himself in, Prosecutor Billhimer said that Huerta-Arias was brought to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains pending a detention hearing.

There have been a number of crashes in recent years from drivers moving along a given road at a far excessive speed that has led to a tragedy as a result.

In one such crash, a Manahawkin man was eventually indicted for driving 74-mph on Radio Road in Little Egg Harbor in a crash that killed a girl days before her birthday.

In another case, a Burlington County man was charged for doing 75-mph in a 50-mph zone in a crash in Chesterfield that killed a woman who was riding her bike along Sykesville Road.