An illegal alien charged in a fatal drunk driving crash that killed a woman and an 11-year-old girl in Lakewood is in the country illegally, and now he’s no longer listed on the inmate roster at the Ocean County Jail.
It is not known at this time whether he has been released under New Jersey bail reform laws, or if he has been transferred out of the facility for other reasons.
Update: Shore News Network today confirmed Luna Perez is currently being held at the Delaney Hall immigrant detention facility in Elizabeth. He was transfered by federal agents.
On July 28, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged an arrest detainer and initiated removal proceedings while Luna Perez remains in custody on the homicide charge.
Raul Luna-Perez, 43, was in custody at the Ocean County Jail after being charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of assault by auto following the July 26 crash. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed an active detainer has been lodged against him, identifying Luna-Perez as an undocumented immigrant.
This was not Raul Luna Perez’s first run in with the law. His rap sheet includes:
- On June 25, 2023, the Red Bank Police Department arrested Raul Luna Perez for simple domestic violence.
- On March 20, 2025, the Red Bank Police Department arrested Raul Luna Perez for a DUI.
- On April 17, 2025, the Red Bank Police Department arrested Raul Luna Perez for a DUI.
“Governor Murphy and his sanctuary policies released this serial criminal into New Jersey communities,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Now, this innocent family is shattered by their failed leadership. President Trump and Secretary Noem will continue to do everything in their power to remove these criminal illegal aliens before they destroy more lives.”
The crash occurred around 11:20 p.m. at Cross Street and Hearthstone Drive. Prosecutors say Luna-Perez was driving a Dodge Durango eastbound when he crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a Nissan Sentra head-on.
We reached out to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office for information, but have not received a response.
The Sentra’s driver, a woman from Lakewood, was pronounced dead at the scene. An 11-year-old girl riding in the front passenger seat died shortly after at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus. A second 11-year-old girl in the rear seat was hospitalized and remains in serious but stable condition.
Two passengers in Luna-Perez’s vehicle were treated for minor injuries and released.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said officers at the scene observed signs of impairment in Luna-Perez. A blood sample was taken under a court order, and toxicology results are pending.
While Luna-Perez’s immigration status was not included in the official press release, records obtained separately by Shore News Network confirmed his undocumented status. The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office has not responded to requests for information regarding his country of origin. State directives limit local prosecutors from disclosing immigration-related details.
Luna-Perez is currently being held pending a detention hearing. The investigation is being led by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad, Lakewood Police, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
Key Points
- Raul Luna-Perez is charged with two counts of vehicular homicide in a Lakewood crash that killed a woman and an 11-year-old girl
- ICE has confirmed Luna-Perez is in the U.S. illegally and has issued a detainer
- Prosecutors say Luna-Perez showed signs of impairment; toxicology results are pending
A head-on crash that killed two in Lakewood has taken on new dimensions with ICE confirming the suspect is in the country illegally.