By: Tracie Carter
Ocean County officials said on April 22, Ocean County officials announced that Stephen Sirch, 30, from Voorhees, has been charged with vehicular homicide related to a fatal traffic accident that occurred earlier this month.
The incident, which took place on April 3, 2024, at about 2:15 p.m., involved Sirch's vehicle colliding with another car on the Black Horse Pike in Hamilton Township.
The collision resulted in the death of Karina E. Castillo, 29, of Clementon, who was pronounced dead at the scene due to injuries sustained in the crash.
An investigation following the incident revealed that Sirch was driving at an excessive speed, which led to the tragic event.
Following the investigation, Sirch was charged with second-degree vehicular homicide and is currently held at the Atlantic County Justice Facility awaiting a detention hearing.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Crash Investigations Unit and the Hamilton Township Police Department jointly conducted the investigation.
Officials have emphasized that the charges against Sirch are merely accusations and not proof of guilt.
As with all criminal cases, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office urges anyone with information regarding this or other serious crimes to call 609-909-7800 or visit their website to submit a tip anonymously.
Additionally, information can be provided through Crime Stoppers by calling 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or by visiting their website.