MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — The family of a four-year-old boy who was killed in a car crash last year is suing the family of the deceased driver who was involved.
The wrongful death suit comes months after prosecutors determined the crash was not criminal in nature.
On April 10, 2025, around 3:20 p.m., a 2015 Mercedes-Benz driven by Diane Goetz, 71, of Randolph, suddenly sped up to nearly 100 mph while traveling north on Millbrook Avenue in Randolph.
Goetz drifted into the southbound lane before running a red light on Route 10.
Goetz then slammed into a 2011 Honda CR-V, also hitting a 2019 Dodge Caravan.
The driver of the Caravan, Bertha Castaneda, 67, of Dover, was killed in the impact. Its passenger, Maria Z. Figueroa, 58, of Wharton, died later in the hospital.
The Caravan was also carrying students from PG Chambers in Cedar Knolls. Two students were injured in the crash, including Yexsel Reyes Granados, 4, of Hackettstown, who succumbed to his injuries in a nearby hospital.
Goetz was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office’s “thorough and exhaustive” investigation into the crash found that Goetz was not criminally liable for the accident. Investigators suspect she may have suffered from a medical episode, causing her to accelerate and hit the cars.
More — NJ Crash That Killed 4 May Have Been Caused By Medical Episode: Prosecutors
Despite prosecutors’ findings, the family of four-year-old Yexsel is suing the Groetz family estate, specifically estate administrator Edward Retlewski, for wrongful death. The suit claims negligence, specifically citing careless driving, erratic driving, speeding, and not attempting to avoid a collision, to name a few of the listed offenses.
The family of the other child injured in the crash, identified only as H.W., is also suing, saying that the boy sustained “serious, disabling and permanent personal injuries” that have left him with seizures, limited mobility, nerve damage, as well as neurologic and psychological injuries.
The family is also suing Alyft Transport LLC, the Passaic County-based transportation company in charge of the Dodge Caravan the children were on.
The suit says that the child car seat where Yexsel sat was improperly installed in the Dodge, saying that it played a part in the fatal injuries he would endure in the collision.
Patch has reached out to both Alyft Transport LLC and Goetz estate administrator Edward Retlewski’s attorneys for comment and has not heard back at this time.
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