8 Dead In Crashes, Shootings Over NYE Weekend In NJ

NEW JERSEY - The last days of 2023 were the last days for eight people in the Garden State as a pair of deadly shootings and a series of fatal crashes closed out the calendar year.

Woman Shot Dead, Man Charged With Murder

An Essex County man was arrested and charged with murder after a 41-year-old woman was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.

Luis A. Suarez, 41, of Montclair, was charged with first-degree murder and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Around 7:25 p.m., on Sunday, Ramsey Police responded to a homicide report at 101 Williams Street.

Officers found a dead 41-year-old woman with an apparent gunshot wound to her head, Musella said.

An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor?s Office and the Ramsey Police Department identified Suarez as the suspect, and he was arrested in Montclair.

Suarez was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.

2 Pedestrians Killed, 1 Injured In Crash

Two people were killed and a third injured when they were hit by a vehicle in front of the Atco Motel in Waterford on Friday, authorities said.

One person died at the scene of the crash on the White Horse Pike that happened shortly before 5:30 p.m. Friday, police said.

The other two pedestrians were flown to a hospital for treatment, but one of them did not survive. Police did not provide a condition for the other pedestrian.

Waterford Township police did not identify any of those involved in the crash, which remains under investigation.

86-Year-Old Woman Killed In Crash

An 86-year-old woman was killed Sunday morning after her vehicle crashed into two guardrails on the Garden State Parkway in Union County, according to media reports.

Martha Merra, 86, of Rahway was driving north on the highway in Clark when her vehicle ran off the road and struck a guardrail at mile marker 137, crossed the lanes and hit left guardrail, NJ.com reported.

No other information is currently available on the crash.

80-Year-Old Killed In Crash In Newark On NYE

An 80-year-old man was killed after being struck by a car in Newark on New Year?s Eve.

Eugene Thacker was struck by a car at the intersection of Clinton Avenue and Irvine Boulevard around 8:30 p.m. He was taken to University Hospital where he was declared dead later, authorities said.

The driver of the vehicle remained on the scene after the crash and was not injured, officials said. No arrests have been made..

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Essex County prosecutor?s Office tip line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-7432.

Pedestrian Killed After Being Struck On I-280

A 48-year-old man was charged with vehicular homicide after he slammed into a car that had stopped on the shoulder of I-280, killing a pedestrian, on Sunday according to media reports.

Valerian Kapanadze, of Hackettstown, was arrested and charged at the scene on Sunday.

Luis Nicheporuck, 56, of Randolph parked his Chevrolet on the right shoulder of the highway in Roseland. He was struck and killed as he stood outside the car, reported NJ.com.

Kapanadze was charged with vehicular homicide, child endangerment, evidence tampering and multiple traffic violations, said NorthJersey. Com.

NJ State Police is investigating.

25-Year-Old Woman Killed In Crash On New Year?s Day

A 25-year-old woman from Princeton died after sustaining serious injuries in a crash in Plainsboro on New Year?s Day, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Eamon Blanchard of the Plainsboro Police Department said.

Around 1:56 a.m., on Monday, authorities received a 911 call reporting a multi-vehicle crash on Route One South in the area of College Road in Plainsboro.

As a result of the crash, Louisa Bradlow Carman, 25, of Princeton sustained serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash is under investigation by the Plainsboro Police Department and The Middlesex County Prosecutor?s Office.

Anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area is asked to call Detective Justin Kowalczyk of the Plainsboro Police Department at 609- 799-2333 ext 1644 or Detective Jim Alleva at the Middlesex County Prosecutor?s Office at 732-745-4011.

67-Year-Old Man Shot Dead In Newark

A 67-year-old man was shot dead early on New Year?s Eve morning, Essex County prosecutor?s Office said.

Jose F. Gaona was found dead in the 100 block of Malvern Street, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

He was pronounced dead at 7:25 a.m. on Sunday, authorities said.

Investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Essex County Prosecutor?s Office tip line at 877-TIPS-4EC.