A Brick Township man has been charged in connection with a March crash that killed a Manchester resident and involved eight vehicles, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced Wednesday.
Brian Baldari, 47, faces charges of aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and assault by auto in the death of 66-year-old Edwin Borja.
Authorities say the incident occurred on March 7, 2025, at approximately 5:50 a.m., when Lakewood Township police responded to Route 70 near Airport Road. Investigators determined that Baldari was driving a Cadillac CT5 Blackwing westbound in the eastbound lanes at about 103 mph for roughly two miles before colliding head-on with Borja’s Mazda CX5. The Cadillac then struck additional vehicles before coming to rest and catching fire, with Baldari trapped inside.
Baldari was rescued from the vehicle and airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune before being transferred to Weill Cornell Medicine Burn Center in New York City. He was later released. Borja was also airlifted to Jersey Shore, but succumbed to his injuries on March 18. Another driver was treated at Ocean University Medical Center in Brick Township and released; the remaining motorists were uninjured.
Prosecutors said Baldari surrendered to Lakewood police on August 13 and was taken to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains pending a detention hearing.