Lakewood, NJ – A Brick Township man was charged Wednesday with aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and assault by auto after investigators say he drove more than two miles in the wrong direction at over 100 miles per hour before slamming head-on into another vehicle, killing a 66-year-old man and injuring others in an eight-car crash in March.
Brian Baldari, 47, was charged in connection to the March 7 crash that claimed the life of Edwin Borja, of Manchester, and left several others injured, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. The collision happened at about 5:50 a.m. near Route 70 and Airport Road, when Baldari’s Cadillac CT5 Blackwing, traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes, struck Borja’s Mazda CX5 head-on.
The Cadillac continued on, colliding with several more vehicles before coming to a fiery stop. Emergency responders had to extract Baldari from the burning wreck. He was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center and later transferred to the Weill Cornell Medicine Burn Center in New York City. Baldari was eventually released from medical care.
Borja was also airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center but died from his injuries 11 days later, on March 18.
One other motorist involved in the crash was hospitalized and later released. The remaining drivers in the multi-vehicle pileup were reportedly uninjured.
Authorities allege Baldari was clocking speeds around 103 miles per hour in the opposite lane for approximately two miles before the fatal crash. Following months of investigation by multiple agencies including the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Squad and Lakewood Township Police, Baldari surrendered Wednesday at Lakewood Township Police Headquarters.
He is currently held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.