HOWELL – A 51-year-old Lakewood man died as a result of being struck by a motor vehicle on Route 9 in Howell on the evening of Dec. 10, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.
The pedestrian, Isidro Martinez-Mendez, was crossing Route 9 northbound, a quarter-mile south of Alexander Avenue, at approximately 7:43 p.m. when he was struck by a 2016 Honda Accord driven by Christina Martinez, 22, of Jackson. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:56 p.m., according to the prosecutor’s office.
Martinez had one occupant in the car, age 10, and both were uninjured, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The Howell Police Department initially reported the incident on its Facebook page on the evening of Dec. 10 and informed motorists that Route 9 was closed. Motorists were advised to avoid the area. The highway was reopened later on the evening of Dec. 10.
The incident remains under investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team and the Howell Police Department.
Anyone who witnessed the accident or has information to assist the investigative team is asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Eric Kerecman at 800-533-7443 or Howell Police Officer Matthew Cherney at 732-938-4575.
The incident on Dec. 10 was the second pedestrian death on Route 9 in Howell in two weeks.
Shortly after midnight on Dec. 2, Juan Santiago-Lopez, 53, of Freehold Borough, died after he was struck by a motor vehicle as he crossed Route 9 south at New Friendship Road.
In connection with Santiago-Lopez’s death, Juanean Perez, 21, of Jackson, has been charged with suspected operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence based on an on-scene investigation, according to the prosecutor’s office.
