Crime & Safety
Police Identify Teen Killed in Rt. 1 Car Crash
Blanca Azucena Hernandez Vargas, 13, of Toms River, died Friday. Several North Brunswick residents were also involved in the crash.
South Brunswick, NJ - Everyone involved in a fatal Rt. 1 New Year’s Day car crash that killed a 13-year-old girl has now been identified, South Brunswick police announced Monday.
Blanca Azucena Hernandez Vargas, 13, of Toms River succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Friday night, police said.
The crash happened at 5:13 a.m. on New Year’s Day and involved a 2005 Nissan Sentra, which crossed over Rt. 1 to enter Deans Lane, and a 2009 Nissan Quest minivan, which was headed north on Route 1. The minivan broadsided the Sentra in the northbound lanes of the highway and sent the Sentra into a utility pole, police said. A preliminary investigation found that the driver of the Sentra may have been distracted by a cellphone, and ran a red light, police said.
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13-year-old Vargas was in the Sentra. Two other passengers in the Sentra remain in the hospital: Cirilo Velazquez-Roja, 21, remains in critical condition and Ilda Hernandez, 21, has been upgraded to stable condition.
Here is a list of who was in both cars:
Find out what's happening in South Brunswickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
2005 Nissan Sentra:
Driver: Azel M Hernandez Vargas (male) age 27 of Toms River
Front Passenger: Sarah Zollner (female) age 19 of Toms River
Rear Passenger: Cirilo Velazquez-Roja (male) age 21 of Lakewood
Rear Passenger: Ilda Hernandez (female) age 21 of Toms River
Rear Passenger: Blanca Azucena Hernandez Vargas (female) age 13 of Toms River
2009 Nissan Quest minivan
Driver: Paramjit Singh (male) age 59 of North Brunswick
Front Passenger: Rajinder Kaur (female) age 59 of North Brunswick
Rear Passenger: Harinder Kaur (male) age 32 of North Brunswick
All other occupants of both vehicles were treated for non-life threatening injuries. The occupants of the Sentra were three family members and two friends. The three occupants of the minivan included a husband and wife and an adult relative.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact Officer William Merkler or Sergeant Gary Holsten at (732) 329-4000 ext. 7472.
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