Bayville Woman Indicted in Fatal Howell Crash

Bilgye Santamaria, 34, of Bayville was indicted last week for her role in a fatal crash at the intersection of Route 9 and Strickland Road last January. 

The charges Santamaria face include second degree Vehicular Homicide and three count of endangering the welfare of a child. 

During an investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit, the Howell Township Police Department and the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team Santamaria was determined to be driving on Route 9 South more than 30 MPH above the speed limit on the evening of Jan. 13. 

Santamaria reportedly ran the red light at the intersection with Strickland Road and hit the car being driven by 26-year-old Eileen Figueroa of Freehold. After the crash Figueroa was taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center where she was pronounced dead the following morning according to a press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. 

At the time of the crash Santamaria had three young passengers in the car ranging from 6-to-10-years-old. Two of the children sustained "non-life threatening injuries."

After being arrested on Nov. 20 Santamaria was taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution where she was being held in lieu of $100 thousand bail which was set by Judge Lawrence M. Lawson. 

The case was assigned to Assistant Prosecutor Michael J. Costanzo and no lawyer has been listed yet for Santamaria.

The second degree Vehicular Homicide charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and is subject to the No Early Release Act. The act means those people convicted have to serve 85 percent of their sentence before being eligible for parole. Third degree endangering the welfare of a child carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.