Brian Baldari

By Sam Barron From Daily Voice

A 47-year-old Brick Township was charged with aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide following a deadly eight-car crash in Lakewood last March, authorities announced Wednesday, Aug. 13.

An investigation determined that Brian Baldari was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of Route 70 at 103 mph for two miles before he crashed into Edwin Borja's vehicle on Friday, March 7 at 5:50 a.m. at Route 70 and Airport Road, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said.

Baldari's Cadillac CT5 Blackwig struck an additional six vehicles before catching fire, trapping Baldari inside, Billhimer said.

Baldari — whose LinkedIn page describes him as a seasoned biopharmaceutical executive — was extricated from the vehicle and airlifted to a nearby hospital before being transferred to a burn unit in New York City, where he was eventually treated and released, Billhimer said.

Brian Baldari 

Brian Baldari 

Brian Baldari LinkedIn

Borja was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he died on Tuesday, March 18, Billhimer said. One other person was treated and released at a nearby hospital, Billhimer said.

Baldari was charged with aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homciide, and assault by auto.

According to his obituary on the Costello-Greiner Funeral Home website, Borja was born in the Philippines and came to the United States in 1971. He lived in Jersey City and Avenel before moving to Manchester four years ago, his obituary said.

Borja was a graduate of La Salle University and worked as a controller with Dana Companies in Avenel for many years, according to his obit. He was a communicant of Saint Andrew Catholic Church in Avenel, where he sang in the choir, and enjoyed bowling at Hudson Lanes in Jersey City and playing mahjong with close friends, the funeral home said. He was also a member of the Philippine Olympic Swim Team for the 1972 Munich and 1976 Montreal Olympics, according to the obituary.

Borja was predeceased by his wife, Marieta Espe Borja, in 2019, his obituary continues. Surviving are his children, Jaclyn Camacho and her husband, Michael, of Avenel, and Brian Borja and his wife, Gertrude, of Clifton, the funeral home said. He is also survived by his sisters, Josephine Lucero and Jocelyn Gill; brothers, Edgar, Edward and Edmond Borja; and grandchildren, Jacob and Marieta Camacho and Penelope and Roman Borja, according to the obituary.