Young Mother Killed, Infant Survives Parkway Tragedy in Lacey Township

Friday afternoon crash on the Garden State Parkway in Lacey Township has now been confirmed to have claimed the life of Iisiz Lopez, 20, of New York, NY, according to the New Jersey State Police.

Fatal Garden State Parkway Crash: New York Woman Identified, Infant Survives; Investigation Continues

The tragic Friday afternoon crash on the Garden State Parkway in Lacey Township has now been confirmed to have claimed the life of Iisiz Lopez, 20, of New York, NY, according to the New Jersey State Police. Lopez was riding in the back seat of a Toyota sedan with an infant when the vehicle veered off the roadway near milepost 75.8 northbound, between the Celia Cruz Service Area and Exit 74.

Authorities say the Toyota, driven by Johan Mendez, 26, also of New York, struck a guiderail before re-entering the roadway and colliding with a Hyundai sedan traveling northbound. The impact ejected Lopez and the infant from the vehicle. Lopez died at the scene; the infant survived with minor injuries.

Two additional passengers in the Toyota, along with Mendez and the Hyundai driver, sustained minor injuries and were transported for treatment. The crash shut down the Parkway’s northbound lanes for nearly three hours, causing seven miles of gridlock stretching from the Barnegat Toll Plaza. The roadway reopened shortly before 6 p.m. Friday evening.

The New Jersey State Police report that the investigation remains active as they work to determine the full circumstances leading to the fatal collision.