A former Edison Township police officer, Amitoj Oberoi, 31, has been sentenced to 15 years in state prison for causing the deaths of two passengers in a drunk driving crash last year.
Somerset County Superior Court Judge Jonathan Romankow handed down the sentence on Wednesday, following Oberoi’s guilty plea in June to two counts of first-degree vehicular homicide. Oberoi must serve 85% of the sentence before being eligible for parole.
The fatal crash occurred on August 27, 2023, around 6:22 a.m. on Route 27 in Franklin Township. Oberoi was driving a 2007 Audi Q7 at a high speed when he lost control, causing the vehicle to leave the road and strike several trees, lamp posts, and a utility pole.
Two passengers in the back seat, Carlos Perez-Gaytan, 24, of Franklin, and Victor Cabrera-Francisco, 20, of North Brunswick, were killed in the crash. Perez-Gaytan was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene, while Cabrera-Francisco was trapped and had to be extricated before being pronounced dead. A front-seat passenger sustained minor injuries.
Oberoi’s sentencing brings a measure of closure to a tragic incident that claimed two young lives. It also serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of drunk driving.
