HOWELL – A Jackson woman is facing charges and an investigation is continuing into the death of a Freehold Borough man who was killed as he was crossing Route 9 on foot shortly after midnight Dec. 2.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office said Juan Santiago-Lopez, 53, of Freehold Borough, died as the result of being struck by a motor vehicle.
The driver of the 2010 Mini Cooper was identified as Juanean Perez, 21, of Jackson. Perez was initially charged with suspected operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence based on an on-scene investigation, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Authorities did not say what substance Perez may have been under the influence of.
The prosecutor’s office said Santiago-Lopez was crossing the intersection at New Friendship Road when he was allegedly struck by Perez’s vehicle at about 12:36 a.m. in the right lane of Route 9 south.
Based on the dynamics of the collision, Santiago-Lopez’s body ended up in the northbound lanes of Route 9, according to the prosecutor’s office.
According to the Howell Police Department, Patrolman Michael Maccia was traveling north on Route 9 when he observed a southbound vehicle with a damaged headlight and a damaged windshield.
As Maccia continued north, he swerved to miss what he thought was a blanket in the highway. As he passed the item, he observed it to be a human body.
Maccia then entered Route 9 south at New Friendship Road and observed vehicle debris and a backpack in the southbound lanes, according to police.
The officer re-entered the northbound lanes of Route 9 and confirmed there was a deceased individual in the road. Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:08 a.m.
A short time later, Patrolman Michael Silvani located Perez standing near her vehicle in the parking lot of a shopping center, according to police. Perez was arrested, charged, processed and released. Authorities said additional charges are pending.
Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick said, “The exceptional work by my fellow officers turned a potentially complex investigation into a quick resolution.”
The incident remains under investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team and the Howell Police Department.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Kristian DeVito at 800-533-7443 or Howell Police Officer Matthew Cherney at 732-938-4575.