LAKEWOOD, NJ – Although 32-year-old Lakewood resident Mark “Fievy” Mandel made a turn to cut across traffic in front of a driver traveling straight along the road; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office has determined the other driver’s excessive speed caused the man’s death.
On Tuesday, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced a vehicular homicide charge against Alejandro Huerta-Arias, 23, of Toms River.
According to the March police report, “Just after 8 am, officers responded to the intersection of Madison Ave and Courtney Road for a major motor vehicle crash. Police determined that a 2012 Infinity G37 operated by 23-year-old Alejandro Huerta Arias was traveling north on Route 9 when a 2008 Chevy Impala was attempting to make a left-hand turn onto Courtney Road.”
Police said the Impala, operated by 32-year-old Mark Mandel, turned in front of Mr. Huerta Arias. As a result, the two collided, causing Huerta Arias’ vehicle to strike and disable a nearby traffic signal. Due to significant damage, Huerta Arias was unable to exit his vehicle and was subsequently extricated by Lakewood Fire Department and EMS personnel.
Mandel was declared dead 15 minutes later while still at the scene of the crash.
A further investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit and Lakewood Township Police Department, Traffic Safety Unit, revealed that the vehicle operated by Huerta-Arias was traveling at an average speed of 91 miles-per-hour at the time of the crash – more than double the 40 mile-per-hour speed limit posted on the roadway.
“As a consequence, Huerta-Arias was charged with Vehicular Homicide on June 7, 2022, and he surrendered himself at Lakewood Township Police Headquarters on the same date. Huerta-Arias was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he is presently lodged pending a detention hearing,” Billhimer said.
Edited by Phil Stilton to include the initial police report issued at the time of the crash.