Lakewood, NJ (July 27, 2025) — A devastating crash late Saturday night in Lakewood has resulted in the deaths of a woman and an 11-year-old girl. Authorities have now filed vehicular homicide charges against the driver of the other vehicle, who is suspected of being impaired at the time of the collision.
The crash occurred around 11:20 p.m. at the intersection of Cross Street and Hearthstone Drive, where officers from the Lakewood Township Police Department responded to a head-on collision involving a Dodge Durango and a Nissan Sentra.
Investigators report that Raul Luna-Perez, 43, of Red Bank, was driving the Durango eastbound on Cross Street when he veered into the oncoming lane, colliding directly with the westbound Sentra.
The female driver of the Sentra was pronounced dead at the scene. Two 11-year-old girls were also in the car. One, seated in the front passenger seat, was rushed to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus, where she later died from her injuries. The second girl, seated in the rear, remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition.
Luna-Perez had two passengers in his vehicle at the time, both of whom sustained minor injuries and were treated and released from Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.
According to police, Luna-Perez showed signs of impairment at the scene. He was transported to the hospital, where a court-authorized blood sample was taken. Toxicology results are still pending.
Luna-Perez is now facing the following charges:
Two counts of Vehicular Homicide
One count of Assault by Auto
He was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Ocean County Jail, pending a detention hearing.
The investigation remains active and is being led by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit – Vehicular Homicide Squad, in coordination with the Lakewood Police Department, Ocean County Sheriff’s CSI Unit, and the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Authorities are urging anyone who witnessed the crash or who may have relevant dashcam footage to contact investigators immediately.
