Middlesex County Acting Prosecutor Christopher L.C. Kuberiet and Chief Roman McKeon of the Perth Amboy Police Department announced today that a man has been arrested and charged with causing the death of three people and injuring another in a fatal crash that occurred on Convery Boulevard in Perth Amboy last night.
According to police, Mr. Patrick Monahan, 38, of Staten Island, was charged with three counts of Aggravated Manslaughter in the first degree, three counts of Vehicular Homicide in the second degree and one count of Aggravated Assault in the third degree.
In addition, Monahan has been charged with three counts of Violation of Law Intended to Protect Public Health and Safety and Recklessly Causing Death in the second degree, one count of Violation of Law Intended to Protect Public Health and Safety and Recklessly Causing Bodily Injury in the fourth degree, and one count of Violation of an Emergency Order.
An investigation by Detective Frank Cristiano of the Perth Amboy Police Department and Detective Jonathan Berman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined that on March 27, at approximately 6:30pm Monahan, who was driving a 2018 Ram 1500 Pickup, was driving aggressively, cutting in and out of traffic, and moving 40 miles per hour in excess of the posted speed limit seconds prior to striking a Ford Minivan on Convery Boulevard.
Police say. also, a search of Monahan’s vehicle revealed suspected controlled dangerous substances.
Passengers in the minivan struck by Monahan, Ms. Maria De Lourdes Aguerra, 47, and Ms. Maria Garcia, 44, both of Elizabeth, were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
An 8-month old infant in the minivan was airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital but died earlier Saturday. The driver of the van was taken to the same hospital but has since been released.
Monahan’s alleged conduct occurred in violation of Executive Order 107 issued by the Honorable Governor Philip D. Murphy on March 21, 2020 which restricts non-essential activities in the State of New Jersey. Monahan, a resident of Staten Island, New York informed detectives that he was in New Jersey at the time of the incident to visit friends.
Monahan is currently being held at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center pending a Detention Hearing.
The investigation is active and is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Cristiano at (732) 324-3800, or Detective Berman at (732) 745-4328.