Crime & Safety

Driver in Fatal Crash: I Was 'Probably Twice the Legal Limit'

Jersey City man told authorities he was drunk when his SUV flipped on Route 15, killing three occupants and a pregnant woman's unborn child, affidavit said.

The driver of an SUV carrying nine occupants that flipped on Route 15 Saturday night, killing three of the passengers and a pregnant woman's unborn child, told authorities he was "probably twice the legal limit" and had smoked marijuana the day before, according to an arrest affidavit.

Luis Torres, 37, of Jersey City, was charged with three counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, three counts of second-degree vehicular homicide and five counts of fourth-degree assault by auto.


Lucila Colon, 62, and Tevia Booth, 11, were pronounced dead at the scene. Julissa Colon, 36, and her unborn child died at Morristown Medical Center from injuries sustained in the crash that occurred shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday on Route 15 South at the intersection of Heller's Lane.

Torres waived his Miranda rights and told Detective Kathryn Kutepow, of the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, he was intoxicated when he and the eight others loaded into his 2002 Ford Explorer at Lake Tomahawk in Sparta to head back to Jersey City between 4 and 5 p.m. Saturday night, the affidavit said.

Torres told Kutepow he drank beers he had brought to the gathering that included family and friends and estimated he was "probably twice the legal limit" when he got behind the wheel to return home, according to the affidavit.

Torres also said he had ingested marijuana the day before and brought more to the lake on Saturday but did not smoke it, the affidavit said.

Torres said he was unfamiliar with the area and was relying on his GPS device. He admitted he was speeding on Route 15 as he approached a slower-moving vehicle in the right lane, the affidavit said. Torres said he swerved into the left lane but admitted he "was going too fast" and lost control of the SUV, the affidavit said.

A witness who was driving behind Torres observed the SUV "apply its breaks, turn sharply to the left and begin to roll," according to the affidavit.

Police and medical personnel who responded to the scene detected alcohol on Torres' breath, the affidavit said.

Torres and a 40-year-old and 21-year-old, whose identities were not released, were each transported to area hospitals. A 37-year-old and 25-year-old were the other two occupants in the vehicle. All of the occupants were from Jersey City.

Torres is being held at the Morris County Correctional Facility in lieu of $750,000 bail.


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