A Toms River man has been charged with Aggravated Manslaughter and Vehicular Homicide in connection with a fiery crash in Lakewood earlier this year that claimed the life of a Matawan woman.

Authorities say 56-year-old Martine Taylor, Jr. was behind the wheel of a 2015 Nissan Altima that went airborne on Cedar Bridge Avenue near the Garden State Parkway overpass at around 1:35 a.m. on May 13, 2025. The vehicle crossed the double yellow line, left the roadway, struck a utility pole and tree, and ultimately landed upside down in a drainage ditch after traveling nearly 190 feet through the air.

Taylor was found trapped inside the mangled vehicle and was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment. His passenger, 52-year-old Christine Kroliczak of Matawan, was pronounced dead at the scene despite life-saving efforts.

Investigators later determined that Taylor’s driver’s license was suspended at the time of the crash. A court-authorized blood draw revealed his blood alcohol concentration was .182—more than twice the legal limit. Investigators also found he had been driving between 94 and 98 miles per hour in a 50-mph zone, with no evidence of braking before impact.

Taylor was initially charged with Causing Death While Driving with a Suspended License and issued multiple motor vehicle summonses. He was later released under New Jersey’s bail reform guidelines.

Following toxicology results and further investigation, prosecutors upgraded the charges to Aggravated Manslaughter and Vehicular Homicide. On Thursday, September 11, 2025, Lakewood Police officers arrested Taylor at a Toms River hotel without incident. He is currently being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.