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On Saturday, Dec. 10, Jose Manuel Garcia-Vazquez of New Brunswick was arrested and charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, third-degree causing a death while unlicensed, and driving while intoxicated, they said.
On Friday, Dec. 9, at 10:48 p.m., police responded to the intersection of Suydam Street and Railroad Avenue following the report of a crash, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Director Anthony A. Caputo of the New Brunswick Police Department.
Police found Garcia-Vazquez, 24, of New Brunswick, who was driving a transport van that collided into a Honda Civic driven by Karen Garcia-Puga, 20, of New Brunswick, they said.
Garcia-Puga sustained serious injuries and was transported to a Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital where she was later pronounced dead, they said.
This GoFundMe page has been organized for Karen's family by her cousin, Noelia Garcia.
She wrote: "On behalf of our family, I/we hope that you can help us contribute and raise enough funding for her funeral expenses. Anything is helpful and we thank you all for any cooperation."
"Hola a todos. Anoche recibimos una llamada desafortunada con la noticia de que mi prima, Karen García, había estado involucrada en un accidente automovilístico fatal y lamentablemente falleció. Espero/esperamos que puedan ayudarnos a contribuir y recaudar suficientes fondos para los gastos de su funeral. Cualquier cosa es útil y les agradecemos a todos por cualquier cooperación."
An investigation by Officer Henry Gliottone of the New Brunswick Police Department and Detective James Alleva of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined that Garcia-Vazquez was operating his vehicle under the influence, they said.
Garcia-Vazquez was being held in the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center pending a pre-trial detention hearing in Superior Court.
The investigation is active and continuing.
Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Gliottone of the New Brunswick Police Department at (732) 745-5005 or Detective Alleva of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4011.
To contribute to Karen Garcia's GoFundMe page, click here.
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