Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced today that a driver has been charged in the motorcycle fatality in which a passenger was killed in South Plainfield on July 4th.
According to authorities, Ruddy Custodio, 30, of Piscataway, the operator of the motorcycle, was charged on July 16th with vehicular homicide in the second degree caused by driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
The deceased passenger was identified as Jessica Montes, 28, of Piscataway, who was ejected from the motorcycle driven by Custodio. Montes was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and pronounced dead from her injuries.
Officials say Custodio was previously issued multiple motor vehicle summonses for driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, failure to maintain lanes, driving without a license, driving while suspended, operating a vehicle without consent, driving an unregistered vehicle, failure to possess a driver’s license, failure to possess an insurance card, and no insurance.
During the investigation it was determined that Custodio was driving his 2016 BMW motorcycle on New Brunswick Avenue near Carlton Avenue, lost control and hit a curb. The passenger was ejected and suffered catastrophic injuries.
According to authorities, Custodio is currently being held in the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center pending a detention hearing.
The investigation is active and is continuing.
Anyone with information is asked to call Lieutenant David DeLair of the South Plainfield Police Department at (908) 755-0700, or Detective Donald Heck of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-8842.
As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Custodio are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.