Crash in Lakewood kills 11-year-old girl

Here are the top stories on NJ 101.5 for Monday, July 28, 2025

Cadet Neil Edara of Ridgewood, NJ died while on a training mission at Fort Knox (U.S. Army Cadet Command via Facebook)

⬛ Rutgers ROTC cadet dies during training program at Fort Knox Army Base

FORT KNOX — A 22-year-old Rutgers University ROTC cadet died while at a summer training program at the Fort Knox Army Base in Kentucky, according to the U.S. Army Cadet Command’s Facebook page.

Neil Edara of Ridgewood was unresponsive while conducting land navigation training at Cadet Summer Training as part of the 9^th Regiment, Advanced Camp on July 24. He received immediate medical attention and was medivaced to the University of Louisville, where he was pronounced dead.

His cause of death remains under investigation.

“Cadet Edara was one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I’ve had the privilege to know,” said Lt. Col. Timothy Sorenson, professor of military science at Rutgers University.

Edara joined ROTC at Rutgers in September 2021.

A woman and an 11-year-old girl were killed in a head-on collision in Lakewood Saturday night at the intersection of Cross Street and Hearthstone Drive (Google Street View/Canva)

⬛ An 11 year-old girl and a woman are killed in a head-on crash in Lakewood

LAKEWOOD — A woman and an 11-year-old girl were killed in a head-on collision in Lakewood Saturday night, and a Red Bank man has been charged with vehicular homicide and assault by auto.

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, a Dodge Durango driven by 43-year-old Raul Luna-Perez collided with a Nissan Sentra at the intersection of Cross Street and Hearthstone Drive.

The female driver of the Sentra was pronounced dead at the scene. The little girl, a front seat passenger, was taken to a hospital where she died a short time later. Another 11-year-old girl sitting in the back seat was also taken to a hospital and remains in serious but stable condition.

Two passengers in the Dodge Durango suffered injuries as well.

First responders say Luna-Perez showed signs of impairment. He is in the Ocean County Jail.

A motorcyclist is dead after colliding with a pedal cycle in Manchester Township (Google Street View, Manchester Township PD via Facebook and Canva)

⬛ A young motorcyclist dies in a tragic crash in Ocean County

MANCHESTER — A young Ocean County man is dead after the motorcycle he was riding on crashed into a pedal cycle on Thursday night.

Manchester Township police said the crash happened at 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of Route 37 and Commonwealth Boulevard.

The motorcyclist, Connor Nolan, 20, of Manchester, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The pedal cyclist, Kimberly Reinschmidt, 49, also of Manchester, suffered internal injuries and lacerations to her left hand and arm. She was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where she is in stable condition.

Fallen tree in Marlboro on June 20, 2025 (Erin Vogt, Townsquare Media)

⬛ This is what happens when trees get too close to power lines

As more summer storms head our way, New Jersey utility companies forge ahead with efforts to prevent power outages caused by overgrown trees and vegetation.

While some utility poles might border private property, residents should never take it upon themselves to handle this potentially dangerous task.

JCP&L spokesman Chris Hoenig says the utility spends $30 million yearly trimming and managing vegetation. It works on a four-year cycle.

Customers can notify the utility about vegetation on a pole via their website, firstenergycorp.com. It will go to JCP&L's certified foresters, who assess the situation. There is no cost to the customer for an assessment.

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