Lakewood, NJ — A Brick Township man who allegedly sped down the wrong side of Route 70 at more than 100 miles per hour and caused a deadly eight-car crash has been charged with aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and assault by auto, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced Wednesday.
Brian Baldari, 47, turned himself in to Lakewood police the same day, months after the March 7 crash that left 66-year-old Edwin Borja of Manchester dead and another driver injured. Authorities say Baldari was behind the wheel of a Cadillac CT5 Blackwing, which barreled westbound in the eastbound lanes of Route 70 for roughly two miles before slamming head-on into Borja’s Mazda CX5 near Airport Road.
The early morning crash unfolded at around 5:50 a.m., igniting a chain reaction that ultimately involved eight vehicles. Investigators from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Lakewood police, and the sheriff’s crime scene unit said the Cadillac struck multiple vehicles after colliding with Borja’s car before catching fire.
Baldari was pulled from the burning wreck and flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, then later transferred to Weill Cornell Medicine Burn Center in New York City. He was released following treatment. Borja, who also suffered critical injuries, was airlifted from the scene but died 11 days later on March 18.
The crash left one other driver hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while the remaining motorists escaped uninjured.
Officials say data and evidence gathered in the ongoing investigation showed Baldari’s car reached speeds of approximately 103 mph prior to the deadly impact. That evidence prompted the serious charges filed this week.
Baldari is currently being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.
