Middlesex Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal 2013 Intoxicated Car Accident

A New Brunswick man pleaded guilty to causing a fatal car accident in 2013, police said.

Shareef Holder admitted causing the high-speed, intoxicated car crash that killed Luis Rodriguez, 22, of the Somerset section of Franklin Township, on Sept. 28, 2013, according to a release from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. Holder pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated manslaughter and possession with intent to distribute heroin.

Under the terms of his agreement with Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Christine D’Elia, Holder will be sentenced to a 21 year term in state prison and must serve 85 percent of the term before being eligible for parole, the prosecutor’s office said. Holder remains in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 27.

Holder admitted to smoking marijuana and driving at speeds up to 90 mph in an attempt to evade police and crashing into the rear of Rodriguez’s car, killing him, the news release said. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred at 9:53 p.m.

Prior to crashing into Rodriguez’s car, Holder, driving a 2001 Mercedes ML 320, hit a 1985 Nissan Maxima on Van Dyke Avenue in New Brunswick and fled the scene, the release said. The driver of the Nissan was uninjured.

Police spotted Holder after hitting the Nissan and stopped him on Jersey Avenue, but he fled from police and crashed into Rodriguez’s Honda shortly thereafter, the prosecutor’s office said.

After crashing into Rodriguez’s vehicle, Holder then crashed into a 2003 GMC Sierra pickup truck that was in front of the Honda, and then hit a 2003 Chevrolet Ventura that was in front of the pickup truck. None of the passengers in those vehicles were injured.

After searching Holder’s Mercedes, police discovered 948 glassine envelopes of heroin and 25 small baggies of marijuana, according to the prosecutor’s office.