A 20-year-old Old Bridge man has been charged with reckless vehicular homicide following a fatal crash in Hillsborough, according to Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor and Hillsborough Township Chief of Police Michael McMahon.
Jaden Brandon Ramos was charged with second degree reckless vehicular homicide and fourth degree assault-by-auto, according to a press release through the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office on Aug. 11.
If convicted, Ramos faces five to 10 years in state prison for the second-degree charge and 18 months of incarceration for the fourth-degree charge, according to the press release
Hillsborough Township Police and medical personnel were dispatched to a two-vehicle
collision with injuries that occurred in the area of Amwell Road and Cemetery Lane in
the Neshanic section of Hillsborough Township at approximately 4:07 p.m. July 22, according to a press release.
Responding officers found a black 2016 Mercedes Benz at final rest facing southeast in
the westbound lane with extensive front-end collision damages. The driver of the
Mercedes, identified as a male adult Flemington resident, sustained serious left leg
injuries and was transported to an area trauma center. The lone passenger in the
Mercedes, a 74-year-old female Flemington resident, was also transported to an area
trauma center where she was later pronounced deceased at 5:49 p.m. from injuries
sustained in the collision, according to the press release.
The second vehicle involved in the fatal collision, a blue 2007 Dodge Charger, was located approximately 30 feet off the westbound side of Amwell Road with extensive front-end damage. The lone driver of the Dodge Charger, identified as Ramos, was conscious and alert, and was also transported to an area trauma center with complaints of hip pain, according to the press release.
Hillsborough Township Police, in conjunction with the County Prosecutor’s Office Collision Analysis Reconstruction (C.A.R.) Team, conducted an investigation and determined that Ramos had been proceeding eastbound on Amwell Road when he allegedly attempted to pass another eastbound vehicle, in a no-passing zone, and into oncoming westbound traffic, when he collided head-on with the Mercedes Benz travelling west, according to the press release.
Police identified two witnesses at the scene who opined that Ramos’ Dodge Charger was travelling well above the posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour (mph) and in the westbound lane at the time of the fatal collision. Additional forensic evidence analyzed by the CAR-Team indicated that Ramos’ Dodge Charger was allegedly travelling approximately between 65 to 67 mph at the time of impact with the Mercedes, according to the press release.
Ramos is lodged at the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-575-3300, the Hillsborough Township Police Department at 908-369-4323 or via the STOPit app.
The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ.
Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.