Prosecutor: 23-Year-Old Woman Arrested on Vehicular Homicide and Related Charges in March Fatal Accident

An area 23-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with vehicular homicide and related offenses in connection with a three-vehicle crash in March that left one person dead and another injured, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago and Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran jointly announced on Wednesday.

Tamra G. Lawlor, 23, has been charged with second-degree vehicular homicide and fourth-degree assault by auto, having previously also been charged with the traffic offenses of driving while intoxicated (DWI), reckless driving, failure to observe traffic control devices, and possession of open unsealed marijuana in a motor vehicle.

The accident details …

Shortly after 5:20 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, Wall Township police responded to the intersection of Route 70 and Morningstar Road to find the three vehicles involved in the collision: a Subaru Crosstrek operated by Lawlor, a Toyota Camry operated by 58-year-old Eileen Ziesmer of Brick (Ocean County), and a Nissan Armada operated by a 51-year-old female resident of Brick.

Ziesmer was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Lawlor and the third driver were also taken to local medical facilities for non-life-threatening injuries.

An investigation involving members of the Wall Township Police Department, MCPO Fatal Accident Unit, and Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team (SCART) resulted in a determination that Lawlor was operating her vehicle under the influence of intoxicating substances at the time she ran a red light and caused the collision.

Lawlor was charged earlier this week and surrendered to law enforcement yesterday, Tuesday, September 1. She was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) pending an upcoming appearance in Monmouth County Superior Court.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Michael Luciano of the MCPO Major Crimes Bureau. Lawlor is being represented by Mitchell Ansell, Esq., with an office in Ocean Township.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office