‘A Bright Light’: Edison Teen Killed In Rt. 1 Crash Remembered

EDISON, NJ — The passenger killed when a speeding car fleeing Woodbridge police crashed on Route 1 last week has been identified as Karla M. Gamero, 17, of Edison.

The crash occurred shortly before midnight on Feb. 20, when a Woodbridge Police officer initiated a pursuit of a Nissan Maxima traveling at a high rate of speed southbound on Route 1. Around one minute into the pursuit, the Nissan crash into a separate civilian vehicle near Gill Lane, according to the state Attorney General's office, which oversees investigations involving law enforcement pursuits.

Gamero, a passenger in the Nissan, was killed. The other occupants of both vehicles sustained serious injuries and were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. The body of a deceased dog was also found inside the Nissan. The police vehicle was not directly involved in the collision, authorities said.

A lifelong resident of Edison Gamero was a Junior at Edison High School and a member of the Latin Club, according to her obituary.

A GoFundMe launched to help Gamero's family cover funeral and related expenses has raised more than $12,700 toward a $16,000 goal, with more than 200 donors contributing.

"Karla was a bright light — full of kindness, laughter, and dreams for the future," wrote Maribel Davila, a close family friend who organized the fundraiser on behalf of Gamero's mother, Lizette.

Davila remembered Gamero for her laugh, her love for her dog Teddy and her love of boba.

"No parent should ever have to plan a goodbye for their child," Davila wrote.

A funeral for Gamero will be held on Friday at St. Helen's RC Church, Westfield, 10 a.m.

The investigation remains ongoing. The Attorney General's office did not release additional details about the circumstances of the pursuit.

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