A 40-year-old man from Jackson has been charged with two counts of assault by auto after crashing a vehicle and failing to complete sobriety tests, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Erick Perez-Ramirez was driving three passengers in a Chevrolet Silverado during the early morning hours of April 20 when he lost control of the vehicle upon making a right turn in the area of Bay Avenue and Ethan Court in Toms River. The vehicle left the roadway and Perez-Ramirez struck a tree.
As a result of the crash, 33-year-old female passengers in the front and back seat were transported to a local hospital for injuries. Both are listed in stable condition.
Perez-Ramirez and a 31-year-old man in the back seat of the vehicle were not injured in the crash and remained at the scene.
Responding officers believed at the scene that Perez-Ramirez was intoxicated, so they attempted to administer field sobriety tests. According to police, he was unable to successfully perform the tests, so he was placed under arrest and charged with driving under the influence. The results of a blood draw are still pending.
Perez-Ramirez is lodged at Ocean County Jail, where he is waiting for a detention hearing.
