NJ Man Charged In Wrong-Way Triple-Fatal Crash In Parsippany

PARSIPPANY, NJ - A 28-year-old Dumont man has been charged with driving the wrong way and causing a fatal crash that occurred three months ago on I-80, killing two women and a man, according to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

Authorities said Miguel Botero was operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

Jalen Davis, 20, of Stanhope, and Julia Wells, of Mine Hill, were killed in the crash, friends and family of the women have told local media outlets. A man was also killed in the crash; his identity has not been released.

The multi-car crash happened at 1:45 a.m. on Oct. 18 on the eastbound express lanes near mile-marker 45.2, Morris County Prosecutor Fredrick M. Knapp said.

All lanes were closed and detoured near eastbound Exit 45, NJ Department of Transportation said. The highway reopened around 8:45 a.m.

"Jalen was a very free spirit, very kind. Just opened her heart to everyone. She always saw good, never the bad," her mother, JoAnn Merritt, told NJ.com. Davis was pursuing a career in hip-hop, and had a concert in Elizabeth scheduled on the night of the crash.

"This is something we definitely didn't prepare for or could even imagine we would be dealing with right now. Jalen just turned 20 two weeks ago and was working on her music career. She was such a loving spirit with the heart to serve and help people. She was the most unselfish person that I know," Merrit said on an online fundraiser set up to help with funeral costs.

Wells was also known for her kindness and creativity, a friend shared in a different online fundraiser.

"She had a passion for cosmetology, as anyone who knew her knew that her makeup was always done as well as her hair and nails. Also, she offered to beautify anyone she could. Julia was smart, she had a future, she knew she wanted to be successful one day, her mind was dedicated," friend Amber Brianne Sweedy wrote in a GoFundMe to offset Wells' funeral costs.

Botero has been charged with three counts of reckless vehicular homicide, crimes of the second degree, and he remains in custody pending a court appearance.

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