WILDWOOD, N.J. — An 18-year-old Carlisle woman was struck and killed at a Wildwood "pop-up" car rally, according to New Jersey officials.
Lindsay Weakland was pronounced dead at the scene after a Pittsburgh man caused a fatal crash involving pedestrians, according to the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office.
Gerald J. White, 37, has been charged with the death of Weakland and Timothy Ogden, 34, from Clayton, NJ.
On Sept. 24 at 9:36 p.m., Wildwood Police officers responded to the area of Burk and Atlantic Avenues for the report of a multi-vehicle crash. Upon arrival at the scene, White, who was driving a 2003 Infinity, attempted to flee the scene but was quickly apprehended and arrested.
According to police, White first struck a 2014 Honda Civic and two pedestrians.
Weakland was the pedestrian killed and Ogden was a passenger in the Honda Civic. He was transported to Atlantic City Medical Center but later died as a result of his injuries.
White was charged with two counts of death by auto, two counts of assault by auto, one count of eluding, one count of leaving the scene of an accident and one count of violation of laws to protect public safety.
The full circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation and additional charges may be filed.
“I would first like to share my sincere condolences with the families of the two victims who were needlessly killed and those that have been injured.," said Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffery H. Sutherland.
"Make no mistake that the tragic and dangerous events over the last several days in Wildwood, Rio Grande, Seaville, and surrounding communities are a direct result of the organizers of a pop-up car rally self-identified as H2Oi or H2O22," he continued.
H2Oi is an unofficial car meet that typically happens in Ocean City, according to an Instagram page.
"Directing hundreds if not thousands of people driving high-performance vehicles to an area without any planning, staging or permitting created the chaos that led to these deaths and injuries," said Sutherland. "Anyone thinking of engaging in organizing any type of similar pop-up event is forewarned that there will be a swift and appropriate law enforcement and legal response."
Sutherland has urged anyone with information to contact the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at (609) 465-1135.
