Driver Was Intoxicated In Crash That Killed Brick Woman On Route 70: Prosecutor

WALL, NJ — A Manasquan woman has been charged with vehicular homicide in a crash in Wall that killed a Brick Township woman in March, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said.

Tamra G. Lawlor, 23, has been charged with second-degree vehicular homicide and fourth-degree assault by auto, in addition to the traffic offenses of driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, failure to observe traffic control devices, and possession of open unsealed marijuana in a motor vehicle, Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said.

Eileen Ziesmer, 58, of Brick, a devoted wife and mother and devoted staff member at Church of St. Denis in Manasquan, died from the injuries she suffered in the March crash at the intersection of Route 70 and Morningstar Road, authorities said.

Lawlor was driving a Subaru Crosstrek when she ran a red light and crashed into Ziesmer's Toyota Camry and a Nissan Armada driven by a 51-year-old Brick Township woman about 5:20 p.m. on March 5, authorities said.

Ziesmer was unresponsive after the crash and was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.

The third woman and Lawlor were taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

Wall Township police and the prosecutor's office Fatal Accident Unit along with the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team determined Lawlor was impaired when she ran the red light, authoritis said.

Lawlor was charged earlier in the week and surrendered to law enforcement on Sept. 1 and was taken to the Monmouth County jail pending an appearance in Monmouth County Superior Court, the prosecutor's office said.

Ziesmer, who was devoted to her work for the church and equally devoted to her family, was "a truly extraordinary woman," wrote Kristen LoSchiavo, a friend of Ziesmer's family who created a GoFundMe campaign to assist the family. "Her life was rooted in faith, service, and compassion for others."

"Eileen was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, counselor, and friend to so many," LoSchiavo said. "Eileen spent her life serving others through her faith, her work, and her love for her family and community. Now we ask our community to come together in that same spirit of compassion and generosity to support the family she loved so dearly."

Those who wish to donate to the GoFundMe campaign can do so here.