TOMS RIVER, NJ – The man accused of driving a BMW that caused a deadly crash on Route 37 last year — killing two people and critically injuring two others — has rejected a plea deal that could have sent him to prison for decades. Now, he and two co-defendants are facing a separate civil lawsuit that seeks millions of dollars in damages on behalf of the victims’ families.
Carlos Martinez, along with passengers Jake Beauchamp and Ryan Rivera, appeared in Ocean County Superior Court on Oct. 29 for arraignment before Judge Guy P. Ryan. Prosecutors confirmed that Martinez, accused of being behind the wheel during the fatal collision, declined a lengthy prison sentence offered in exchange for a guilty plea. Rivera also rejected his offer, while Beauchamp’s attorney said she is still reviewing evidence before deciding whether to accept.
The crash occurred after what prosecutors described as a reckless high-speed chase through Ocean County on the night of the incident. Investigators allege Martinez was driving a BMW at extreme speeds when he ran a red light at the intersection of Route 37 and Route 166 in Toms River, colliding with a Toyota Camry driven by 23-year-old Evan Fiore. Fiore and passenger Kiley Armstrong were pronounced dead at the scene. Two others in the Camry — Krista Armstrong and Ryan Chapman — were critically injured and required extensive hospitalization and rehabilitation.
Martinez, now 18, of Toms River, was charged as an adult in the March 7 crash that killed 21-year-old Kiley Anne Armstrong and 23-year-old Evan Fiore, and critically injured Armstrong’s twin sister, Krista, and her boyfriend, Ryan Chapman. Prosecutors say Martinez, who did not have a driver’s license, was drunk and speeding when he blew a red light at Route 37 and Route 166, slamming into the victims’ Toyota Camry with such force that both cars were torn apart.
Martinez faces a sweeping indictment that includes two counts of aggravated manslaughter, multiple counts of aggravated assault, and charges of causing death and injury while driving unlicensed. Toxicology results later showed Martinez’s blood alcohol content was .088, according to court records.
Investigators allege the crash followed a night of reckless driving fueled by alcohol and social media dares. Videos recovered by detectives show Martinez and friends Jake Beauchamp and Ryan Rivera taking turns racing along Routes 35 and 37 between Mantoloking, Lavallette, and Toms River, narrowly missing other cars. One video captures bottles of Twisted Tea, Fireball, and Surfside alcohol drinks scattered in the backseat, while another shows Martinez gripping the wheel as passengers shout for him to “floor it.” The BMW’s speedometer reportedly hit 160 mph.
Martinez told investigators after the crash that the BMW’s speedometer and headlights were not functioning and admitted the car had been illegally modified to reach higher speeds. Prosecutors said the group spent the night drinking at a Seaside Heights hotel before returning to Toms River, where the fatal collision occurred.
Authorities say Beauchamp and Rivera were active participants in the night’s events, encouraging Martinez to drive faster as they filmed the chase for social media. Beauchamp allegedly drove the car earlier in the evening as the group crossed the Thomas A. Mathis Bridge into Seaside Heights before Martinez took over for the return trip that ended in tragedy.
As the criminal case progresses toward trial, the victims’ families have now filed a civil lawsuit in Ocean County Superior Court naming Martinez, Beauchamp, and Rivera as defendants. The suit, filed by attorneys representing the families of Evan Fiore and Kiley Armstrong, as well as the surviving victims, accuses the three men of gross negligence, reckless endangerment, and wrongful death.
The complaint alleges that the defendants engaged in “willful and wanton misconduct” by turning public roadways into a “stunt course for entertainment” and that their deliberate actions directly caused the deaths and catastrophic injuries. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages to cover medical costs, funeral expenses, loss of companionship, emotional trauma, and the victims’ long-term suffering.
According to court filings, Krista Armstrong and Ryan Chapman, who both sustained life-altering injuries, are also named as plaintiffs. Their families are pursuing damages related to ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, and psychological trauma stemming from the crash.
Attorneys for the Fiore family said the civil case is intended to ensure accountability beyond criminal prosecution.
“No amount of prison time can undo what happened that night,” one family representative said, “but this lawsuit is about ensuring the people responsible face the full weight of the harm they caused — financially, emotionally, and morally.”
The civil lawsuit also raises the possibility of seeking restitution from insurance carriers or potential third parties, depending on ownership of the BMW and the defendants’ assets.
Legal experts said such cases often move in parallel with criminal proceedings, though civil discovery may depend on the outcome of the criminal trial.
The families of the victims continue to attend court hearings, where emotional testimony has underscored the lasting toll of the crash.
“Every day we wake up knowing two young lives were taken because of someone’s reckless thrill,” said a relative of one victim. “We want justice in every form possible.”
The victims’ families have filed a wrongful death and personal injury lawsuit seeking millions in damages against the three men accused in a high-speed Route 37 crash that killed two and seriously injured two others.