A police officer was critically injured early Saturday in a two-vehicle crash after the driver of a pickup truck blew through a red light at 106 mph, officials said.
Edwin J. Ramirez-Carranza, 20, of Lakewood, was also holding his cell phone when he caused the crash just after midnight, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said Monday.
Ramirez-Carranza was driving a pickup truck north on New Hampshire Avenue when he went through a red light and collided with the officer’s car, which was traveling east on Cedar Bridge Avenue, authorities said.
The Lakewood police officer was driving his personal vehicle after his shift had ended. He was not named by authorities.
Ramirez-Carranza was also hospitalized with injuries.
He is charged with aggravated assault. Police also issued him summonses for operating an unregistered vehicle, careless driving, reckless driving, failure to observe a traffic signal and speeding.
Ramirez-Carranza was driving with a probationary license after 11 p.m. and marijuana was found in the pickup truck. Blood tests will reveal whether he was driving under the influence, prosecutors said.
Ramirez-Carranza is being held at the Ocean County jail. No attorney is listed for him in court records.
Stories by Jeff Goldman
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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.