LAKEWOOD — A day after Christmas, families and a community mourned four young men who died in a crash Wednesday morning on the Garden State Parkway.

The victims were two brothers, a U.S. Marine and a Lakewood Department of Public Works employee who hoped to follow in his stepfather's footsteps and become a police officer, officials said.

The four were pronounced dead after their Infiniti G37 sedan crashed into the rear of a tanker truck about 2:50 a.m. near Exit 81 in Toms River.

Kevin Quispe-Prieto, 21, of Beachwood, was behind the wheel and traveling in the right lane before the crash, State Police said.

Kevin's passengers were his brother, Jimmy Quispe-Prieto, 23, and Victor Lugo, 24, and Robert Ordeñana, 23, all of Lakewood.

Victor Lugo was killed Dec. 26, 2018, in a car crash on the Parkway. (via Facebook)
Victor Lugo was killed Dec. 26, 2018, in a car crash on the Parkway. (via Facebook)
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Investigators have not said whether they know what caused the crash. The truck driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Ordeñana's social media was filled with photos and posts about his travels around the world with the U.S. Marines, as well as announcements of when he would return to Lakewood.

Bobby Ordeñana was killed Dec. 26, 2018, in a car crash on the Parkway. (via Facebook)
Bobby Ordeñana was killed Dec. 26, 2018, in a car crash on the Parkway. (via Facebook)
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Brothers Jimmy and Kevin Quispe-Prieto were killed Dec. 26, 2018, in a car crash on the Parkway. (via Facebook)
Brothers Jimmy and Kevin Quispe-Prieto were killed Dec. 26, 2018, in a car crash on the Parkway. (via Facebook)
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Township Committeeman Albert Akerman said Lugo worked for the DPW in the township where his stepfather, Alex Guzman, is a police officer and mother, Evelyn Guzman, works in the Registrar’s Office.

Akerman said he visited Lugo's family on Wednesday.

“They’re trying to keep their spirits up," he said. "The house was full all day with people who kept coming to visit.”

“They’re good people. They love helping people. People know they can count on them if they ever need anything. They go way above and beyond."

Funeral arrangements had not been released Wednesday evening.

 

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