A man has been indicted on an aggravated manslaughter charge after he allegedly hit a parked car while driving drunk, killing an eight-year-old boy, officials said.
Edward W. Johnston, 25, of Galloway, was driving on White Horse Pike on the morning of July 23, 2023, when the crash occurred, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office. Johnston’s vehicle ran off the road and struck the parked car shortly before 3:30 a.m., killing the boy who was sleeping inside, authorities said.
An investigation into the crash then found that Johnston was intoxicated and that he was “recklessly” speeding before the crash, prosecutors said.
He was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter on November 16, 2023, according to municipal court records. Court records also indicate that he was issued summonses for operating under the influence of liquor or drugs, reckless driving and exceeding the speed limit by 55 to 59 miles per hour on the day of the crash.
Family members have previously identified the victim online and in news reports as Javier Velez, who was on a fishing trip to the Jersey Shore with his dad.
A description on a GoFundMe campaign for the boy’s family describes him as someone who was “full of love.”
“Javier was so full of love and life,” the description reads. “He brightened the day of everyone he came in contact with in his short life.”
Velez and his father were visiting an Absecon creek from Philadelphia at the time of the crash on July 23. Kaylah Smith, the boy’s mother, said they’d often visit the Shore to avoid violent areas of Philadelphia for family activities.
Johnston was charged initially with driving under the influence and reckless driving and released, leading to the child’s lamenting family calling for change to New Jersey’s detention laws. Johnston’s release was granted by Superior Court Judge Donna Taylor over his upgraded charge; however, he remained in jail because of an appeal by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
Since Velez’s death, his mother has been advocating for change to New Jersey’s laws in drunk driving cases, calling for immediate detention for anyone accused of those offenses in a fatal crash. She created an online petition that has over 8,000 signatures.
Stories by Nicolas Fernandes
Staff Reporter Erick Conklin contributed to this report.
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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.