By: Richard L. Smith
A 23-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a three-vehicle crash in Wall Township that left a Brick Township woman dead and another driver injured earlier this year.
According to information released by Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago and Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran, Tamra G. Lawlor, 23, has been charged with vehicular homicide and assault by auto.
Authorities said the crash occurred shortly after 5:20 p.m. on March 5 at the intersection of Route 70 and Morningstar Road.
Police arriving at the scene found three vehicles involved — a Subaru Crosstrek driven by Lawlor, a Toyota Camry operated by 58-year-old Eileen Ziesmer of Brick Township, and a Nissan Armada driven by a 51-year-old Brick Township woman.
Ziesmer suffered severe injuries and was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Lawlor and the driver of the Nissan were transported to area medical facilities with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Investigators allege Lawlor was under the influence of intoxicating substances when she drove through a red light and caused the collision.
Lawlor had previously been issued several motor vehicle charges, including driving while intoxicated, reckless driving and failure to observe a traffic control device.
Following an investigation involving Wall Township Police, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Unit and the county’s Serious Collision Analysis Response Team, Lawlor was criminally charged earlier this week.
Authorities said she surrendered to law enforcement on Tuesday, September 1, and was transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution pending an appearance in Superior Court.
The charges against Lawlor are accusations, and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.