Politics
Unlicensed driver charged with manslaughter in fatal New Jersey parking lot crash
A 9-month-old infant died after a mother and two children were struck outside a Jackson grocery store, sparking political debate over state sanctuary policies.
The short version
- Maria Cobon-Guzman was charged with manslaughter after allegedly striking a mother and her two young children with a vehicle in a Jackson, New Jersey, parking lot.
- A 9-month-old infant died from injuries sustained in the crash, while the mother and a 5-year-old child were hospitalized in stable condition.
- A second woman, Ariadna Lazaro-Flores, was charged with endangering the welfare of an incompetent person for allegedly allowing the unlicensed driver to use her vehicle.
- Federal authorities issued immigration detainers for both women, reigniting political disputes between federal officials, state Republicans, and state leadership regarding New Jersey's law enforcement cooperation policies.
Key facts
- Maria Cobon-Guzman allegedly struck a mother, her 5-year-old child, and a baby carriage containing a 9-month-old boy in a kosher grocery store parking lot in Jackson, New Jersey.[Fox News]
- The 9-month-old infant was pronounced dead at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where the mother and 5-year-old child were admitted in stable condition.[Fox News]
- Cobon-Guzman was charged with manslaughter following the incident.[Fox News]
- Ariadna Lazaro-Flores was charged with endangering the welfare of an incompetent person for allegedly permitting Cobon-Guzman to drive her car while knowing she lacked a driver's license.[Fox News]
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged detainers for both suspects with the Ocean County Jail.[Fox News]
- According to the Department of Homeland Security, Cobon-Guzman had received an order of removal from an immigration judge on July 31.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- It remains uncertain whether Ocean County local authorities or New Jersey state officials will honor the ICE detainers given state guidelines under the Immigrant Trust Directive.[Fox News]