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Man pleads guilty in NJ crash that killed woman and girl

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Man pleads guilty in NJ crash that killed woman and girl


A New Jersey man pleaded guilty in connection to a car accident that killed a woman and a girl in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, last July.

Raul Luna-Perez, 43, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of assault by auto and aggravated manslaughter, on Monday, June 15, 2026, prosecutors said.

He is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 28, 2026.

According to Ocean County officials, on July 26, 2025, officers from Lakewood Township responded to a car crash with multiple injuries at the intersection of Cross Street and Hearthstone Drive.

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In the investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Lakewood Township Police, and Ocean County Sherrif’s department, it was revealed that a Dodge Durango operated by Luna-Perez, also holding a passenger, crossed into an oncoming lane of traffic and collided head-on with a Nissan Sentra.

Maria Pleitez, 42, and two 11-year-old girls were inside the Nissan Sentra at the time.

Pleitez was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. One of the 11-year-old girls was transported to Monmouth Medical Center South Campus where she died from her injuries. The second 11-year-old girl was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) where she was treated for her injuries and eventually released.

The passenger in Luna-Perez’s Dodge Durango received minor injuries as a result of the crash, and was treated at JSUMC.

According to police, first responders at the scene detected that Luna-Perez was showing signs of impairment. He was transported to JSUMC, where his blood was drawn. The results of the blood test included a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.19 and traces of cocaine.

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In New Jersey, operators of cars are presumed to be over the legal limit for alcohol consumption when their Blood Alcohol Content is 0.08 or greater. As a result of the blood test of Luna-Perez, his charges were upgraded to two counts of aggravated manslaughter and strict liability vehicular manslaughter on Aug. 7, 2025, investigators reveal.

That same day, Luna-Perez was taken into custody at an ICE detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, though he was transported to Ocean County Jail by detectives and has been detained there since.

Subsequently in the investigation, it was revealed that Luna-Perez was accelerating at approximately 60 miles-per-hour at the time of the crash and crossed the yellow line.

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, the State of New Jersey will be seeking two 10-year terms for each aggravated manslaughter charge of Luna-Perez, and an 18-month sentence for his assault by auto offense. The aggravated manslaughter sentences will run consecutively, while the assault by auto sentence will run concurrently.

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Ex-NJ GOP aide accused of staging slashing attack shows off horrific scars — and mystery man — in new snap

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Ex-NJ GOP aide accused of staging slashing attack shows off horrific scars — and mystery man — in new snap


The unhinged ex-GOP aide who claimed she had been viciously attacked and labeled “Trump whore” — but who authorities say staged the assault and hired a fetish artist to carve her up — showed off her jaw-dropping scars in a new photo, along with a heavily-tattooed mystery man. 

Natalie Greene, the Ocean City, NJ woman accused of faking a gruesome politically-driven assault while working for Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew, shared a glimpse into her life for the first time since the scandal broke nearly a year ago.

The 26-year-old updated her Facebook profile picture on the Fourth of July to a smiling selfie of herself and the new pal.

Natalie Greene updated her Facebook profile photo on July 4. FaceBook / Natalie Greene

She wore a knitted tank top – exposing multiple thick, pink scars across her shoulder, chest and neck. 

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Her dark hair was slicked back into a low ponytail, and her manicured hand covered her mouth as she laughed. 

A man wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap with tattoos up his neck and arm smiled next to her. 

Greene, a Masarati-driving ex-Rutgers Law student, was charged with conspiracy to falsely report a violent attack and giving false statements to law enforcement after claiming she was repeatedly slashed by three masked gunmen in a local park because she worked for Van Drew, a pol who had switched from Democrat to Republican in 2020.

Greene was found after the allegedly staged attack with “Trump whore” written on her stomach. U.S. Attorney’s Office

Authorities found Greene on the ground with her hands and ankles zip-tied on a trail at a nature preserve in Egg Harbor Township on the night of July 23, 2025. She had dozens of bloody surgical-like slashes across her back, shoulder, chest and face. The words “Trump whore” were written across her stomach in black marker. 

But the attack was nothing but a hoax, according to the Department of Justice, which said Greene hired a Pennsylvania-based “scarification” fetish artist to cut her up. Detectives even discovered a reference photo that Greene showed the artist – and her cuts matched the image exactly, investigators said. 

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Greene had her arms and ankles zip tied when she was found. U.S. Attorney’s Office

Greene was granted supervised release in January as she awaits trial.

Childhood campmate Kristin Haughton James —  who was previously busted for cocaine possession and riding an unlicensed vehicle in the streets, a Camden court heard in January — welcomed her into her Florida home and has been acting as her custodian. 

Before moving in with Haughton James, Greene had already cycled through two other guardians – including her mother – and had been ordered to attend inpatient treatment. 

Greene was a law student when the scandal broke out. Instagram / Natalie Greene

But the arraignment quickly descended into a nightmare, Haughton James revealed. 

“I have never met chaos incarnate until I met this person,” she told NJ.com. “Lives for the drama – wants everything to be about her.

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“She just feeds off attention.”

She claimed Greene left her home a wreck, tried to get her evicted and falsely told cops that she was dealing drugs and threatened her with a gun. 

Haughton James said she kicked her out in March. It is unclear where Greene is currently living.

Haughton James, Greene and Greene’s attorney did not return messages seeking comment.

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Husband of slain New Jersey mom begs for help in newly released 911 call | Fox News Video

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Husband of slain New Jersey mom begs for help in newly released 911 call | Fox News Video


Former homicide detective Brian Foley provides expert insights into the newly released 911 call from Conor Hanlon, whose wife, New Jersey therapist Brooke Hanlon, was found stabbed to death. Foley analyzes the husband’s emotional state and the police’s approach, noting the case’s ‘suspicious’ designation 13 minutes into the call.



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NJ firefighter dies after crash responding to fire call

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NJ firefighter dies after crash responding to fire call


A young firefighter died two weeks after being badly hurt in a crash while responding to a fire call, according to the Malaga Fire Company.

Robert (Bobby) Reider, 23, was driving north along Delsea Drive while trying to get to the scene of fire on Saturday, June 27 when his car went off the road, officials said.

When first responders got to the scene of the crash, they found Reider trapped in his car and worked to remove him.

Reider was then taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital where he was treated for severe and traumatic injuries.

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Weeks later, on July 10 around 4:30 a.m., Reider died from his injuries while still in the hospital.

The Malaga Fire Company says that Reider joined their team in 2018 when he was just 16 as a junior firefighter.

He then went on to earn a certificate at Fire 1 at the Salem County Fire Academy in 2022.



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