DWI charge lodged in fatal Rte. 70 crash

A Cherry Hill man was charged with vehicular homicide yesterday after a hit-and-run accident killed a Maple Shade man on Route 70 Monday night.

Efrain Cardona, 35, was also charged with driving while intoxicated and eluding police. He was held last night in the Camden County jail after failing to post $175,000 bail, said Bill Shralow, spokesman for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Robert L. Young, 50, was driving a Saturn Ion west about 11:30 p.m. when Cardona's Nissan Maxima struck it from behind, according to authorities. The impact sent Young's car into a tree in front of Queen of Heaven Church.

The Nissan crossed the median and stalled in the eastbound lanes in front of the Erlton Fire Company, then restarted and drove off. A patrol officer tried to stop the Nissan near Cooper Landing Road. The car sped away and made several turns before Cardona stopped and surrendered, Shralow said.

Young, who worked at the ShopRite supermarket in the Garden State Pavilions shopping center, died of multiple injuries at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, Shralow said.