An illegal immigrant from Mexico was allegedly drunk behind the wheel of a speeding SUV that crossed into incoming traffic and crashed head-on into a compact car, killing an innocent woman and her bright-eyed 11-year-old daughter, New Jersey authorities said.<\/p>\n
Raul Luna-Perez, 43, has been living in Red Bank, N.J., since early 2023, federal sources told The Post. When and where he allegedly snuck into the U.S. is not known.<\/p>\n
The suspect has been roaming free despite two DUI arrests in March and April, and a domestic violence arrest in 2023, according to records.<\/p>\n
Maria Pleitez and Dayanara Cortes were killed in a head-on crash July 26. Forevermissed.com<\/p>\n
\u201cGovernor Murphy and his sanctuary policies released this serial criminal into New Jersey communities,\u201d Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told the Post Friday. \u201cNow, this innocent family is shattered by their failed leadership.<\/p>\n
\u201cPresident Trump and Secretary Noem will continue to do everything in their power to remove these criminal illegal aliens before they destroy more lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said the\u00a0Trump administration\u2019s thoughts and \u201cprayers are with the surviving family members coping with the loss of their loved ones.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery crime committed by an illegal alien is 100% preventable\u00a0\u2014\u00a0they should have never been in our country to begin with,\u201d Jackson added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis tragedy underscores how dangerous sanctuary jurisdictions are and how critical it is to deport criminal illegal aliens from the country. President Trump is committed to fulfilling the mandate he was elected on: deporting criminal illegal aliens and making America safe again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luna-Perez\u2019s Dodge Durango slammed into Maria\u00a0Santos\u00a0Pleitez\u2019s Nissan Sentra in the horrific July 26 wreck in Lakewood, NJ, according to local prosecutors.<\/p>\n
Raul Luna-Perez is a Mexican national. Ocean County Corrections<\/p>\n
Pleitez\u2019s\u00a0niece, Maria\u00a0del Carmen\u00a0Pleitez, 39, told\u00a0The Post the mother and daughter were on their way to Wawa for milkshakes when they\u00a0were struck.<\/p>\n
The 42-year-old mother was killed instantly. Her youngest daughter, Dayanara Cortes, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, perished soon after arriving at the hospital.<\/p>\n
A second, unidentified 11-year-old\u00a0girl riding in the back seat at the time of the 11:20 p.m. collision was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. The\u00a0girl \u2014 Dayanara\u2019s friend \u2014 has since been upgraded to stable.<\/p>\n
Luna-Perez walked away with minor injuries. His two passengers sustained minor injuries, for which they were treated and released.<\/p>\n
Because he was showing symptoms of intoxication at the crash scene at Cross Street and Hearthstone Drive, blood was drawn from Luna-Perez at the hospital, authorities said.<\/p>\n
Photos from the scene show the mangled front-end of Pleitez\u2019s car. Y Smith\/TLS<\/p>\n
The crash killed Pleitez instantly, while Dayanara died moments after arriving at the hospital. Y Smith\/TLS<\/p>\n
He was later charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and assault by auto. Charges could be added once prosecutors receive the blood test results.<\/p>\n
In a sad irony, the mother he allegedly killed immigrated from El Salvador 24 years ago.\u00a0Her children were born in the US, the niece said.<\/p>\n