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Manuel Centeno-Rodriguez, 18, of North Brunswick, was sentenced on Friday, May 3, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Joesph Battaglia of the North Brunswick Police Department.
On March 18, Centeno-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide and two counts of fourth-degree assault by auto.
On Dec. 19, 2023, at approximately 6:30 a.m., North Brunswick police responded to Route 130 and Renaissance Boulevard. Police found a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado that crashed into a Volkswagen Golf stopped in traffic. As a result of the crash Silverio "Jose" Castro-Martinez, 69, of New Brunswick, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
An investigation determined that Centeno-Rodriguez, 18, was driving the Chevrolet Silverado. The impact of the crash caused the Volkswagen Golf to hit an Acura RDX that was stopped in front of them, killing Castro-Martinez, the rear driver-side passenger of the Volkswagen Golf. Two other occupants of the Volkswagen Golf sustained serious injuries. A third passenger sustained minor injuries. They were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital for treatment.
Centeno-Rodriguez will have to serve 85 percent of his sentence without parole. He will be on parole supervision for 3 years upon his release from prison.
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