Funeral For Colonia Woman, 22, Killed In Crash Will Be Thursday

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — Two young women were killed in two separate car crashes last week in Woodbridge Township.

Both crashes remain under a criminal investigation — one by the New Jersey Attorney General because the driver was allegedly fleeing Woodbridge Police — and the families of both girls are preparing to bury them this week.

Here's more information:

The first fatal crash, on Rt. 27 on Feb. 18

First, Amber Torres, a 22-year-old Colonia woman, was killed in a head-on crash at 10:36 p.m. last Wednesday, Feb. 18 on Rt. 27 north.

Torres was driving a 2025 Nissan Altima and she was hit head on by a 2013 Hyundai Tucson, driven by a 28-year-old man from Iselin, whose name has still not been released by the county prosecutor. Torres and her front-seat passenger, a 21-year-old woman also from Colonia, were headed to a friend's house that evening when they were hit, said her grieving family.

Torres' friend was seriously injured, and the Iselin man was critically injured; he still remains hospitalized a week later.

Torres was killed; she died at JFK Hospital that same night.

"Tragically, Amber was the only one who lost her life that night," wrote her family on this GoFundMe. They said the other driver "remains under investigation" by police.

"Charges have not been filed as of yet," a spokeswoman for the Middlesex County Prosecutor said Wednesday.

Torres grew up in Colonia and graduated from Colonia High School in 2022, where she played softball and was a cheerleader, according to her obituary. She was currently enrolled at Rutgers University and she was only a few short months away from graduating; she was getting her degree in biology and planned to pursue a career in dentistry, according to her Bold.pro profile. She also worked as a waitress at Stewart’s Drive-In restaurant in Rahway, where she listed herself as head waitress. She also once worked as a server at Top Golf in Edison. Her father is a county corrections officer in New Jersey.

Torres was a young woman filled with "pride and ambition for the future," read her obituary. She had "dreams of making a meaningful impact in the world ... She will be remembered as a devoted daughter, a fiercely loving sister, a loyal friend, and a bright, hardworking young woman whose kindness touched countless lives. Her strength of character and generous spirit will continue to inspire all who knew her."

A funeral for Torres will be Thursday, Feb. 26 at Gosselin Funeral Home, with public visitation from 4:00 - 8 p.m. and a vigil beginning at 7:00 p.m.

"Family and friends are invited to gather in remembrance and celebration of Amber’s beautiful life."

The second fatal crash, this time on Rt. 1 on Feb. 19

Then, one day later, shortly before midnight on Thursday, Feb. 19, there was a second fatal crash, this time on Rt. 1.

A 17-year-old Edison High School student, Karla Gamero, was killed. She was a passenger in a Nissan Maxima that a Woodbridge Police officer was trying to pull over. The Nissan Maxima did not pull over and was travelling at a high rate of speed southbound on Rt. 1 when it crashed into a separate civilian vehicle in the area of Gill Lane, said the New Jersey Attorney General.

Gamero was the passenger who died that night, MyCentralJersey.com reported. Her beloved pet dog was also killed in the crash.

The driver of the car she was driving in was also seriously injured, as was the driver of the second car it crashed into.

The name of the Nissan driver was not released yet by the Attorney General, nor have any charges been filed yet against the driver.

Gamero, a junior at Edison High School, will have a funeral visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26 at Walter Johnson Funeral Home in Clark, according to her obituary.

Last week: Colonia Woman Killed In Head-On Crash With Iselin Man

2nd Fatal Crash In Woodbridge, This Time Fleeing Woodbridge Police: AG Says