By: Najla Alexander
NJ State Police officials reported that on Friday, March 31, Nikhil Branscomb, 28, of Somerset, was charged and arrested for first-degree Aggravated Manslaughter.
Authorities say based on his involvement in a motor vehicle crash in 2020 in Hammonton that resulted in the death of 20-year-old Justin Santos-Torres.
On July 19, 2020, at 2:15 a.m., Santos-Torres was killed on the Atlantic City Expressway when his vehicle went off the roadway and overturned after being struck by a car allegedly operated by Branscomb, according to officials.
Subsequent investigation revealed Branscomb’s vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed, and he was also allegedly under the influence of alcohol, officials said.
This fatal crash investigation was conducted by the New Jersey State Police Atlantic City Expressway Barracks and the New Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Unit, with assistance from the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Crash Investigations Unit.
