Christopher Neff, a 41-year-old man from Westminster, Colorado, is the driver accused in the wrong-way crash on the New Jersey Turnpike that killed four teenagers on October 19, 2025. Prosecutors say Neff drove his pickup truck north in the southbound lanes after drinking for about two hours at a nearby bar, with a blood alcohol content nearly three times New Jersey’s legal limit. A Salem County grand jury has since returned a 15-count indictment charging him with aggravated manslaughter, death by auto, and several weapons offenses.1NJ.com. Motorist Indicted in Wrong-Way Crash on NJ Highway That Killed 4 Teens
What Happened on the Turnpike
Shortly before 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 19, 2025, a 2021 Dodge Ram pickup was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of the New Jersey Turnpike near milepost 1.3 in Carneys Point Township, Salem County, close to the Delaware Memorial Bridge.2NBC Philadelphia. Driver Charged in Wrong-Way Crash on NJ Turnpike That Killed 4 Teens The truck, allegedly driven by Neff, hit a southbound Mazda CX-5 carrying four young men head-on. The impact pushed the Mazda into the path of a Freightliner tractor-trailer, whose driver was not hurt.3Courier-Post. Fatal Wrong-Way Crash on New Jersey Turnpike Kills Four
All four occupants of the Mazda died. Neff survived and was hospitalized with fractures to both legs, a broken arm, and other serious injuries.2NBC Philadelphia. Driver Charged in Wrong-Way Crash on NJ Turnpike That Killed 4 Teens
The Four Victims
The teenagers killed were all members of the Orthodox Jewish community in the Lakewood, New Jersey, area:
- Yaakov Kilberg, 19, of Lakewood, who was driving the Mazda.
- Aharon Lebovits, 18, of Lakewood.
- Shlomo Cohen, 18, of Lakewood.
- Chaim Grossman, 18, of Fallsburg, New York.4The Yeshiva World. 4 Bochurim Killed in Car Accident on New Jersey Turnpike Identified
Evidence of Impairment
Investigators say Neff had been drinking at the Turnpike Inn, a bar in Carneys Point, for roughly two hours before the crash. Surveillance footage showed him drinking there between about 10:30 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 a.m. Sunday.5NJ 101.5. Wrong-Way Driver Accident on NJ Turnpike First responders reported a strong odor of alcohol on his breath.6Denver Post. Christopher Neff DUI New Jersey
A blood draw at the hospital showed a blood alcohol content of 0.22%, according to the affidavit of probable cause. That is nearly three times New Jersey’s legal limit of 0.08%. Police also reported finding psilocybin mushrooms and methadone inside the pickup, though the initial charges focused on alcohol impairment.7NJ.com. Driver Charged in Crash That Killed 4 Teens Had Been Drinking for Hours Neff was not charged with driving under the influence at the time of the initial charging, though the blood alcohol evidence underpinned the manslaughter and vehicular homicide counts.6Denver Post. Christopher Neff DUI New Jersey
The 15-Count Indictment
Neff was first charged on October 22, 2025, while still hospitalized, with four counts of aggravated manslaughter, four counts of vehicular homicide, unlawful possession of a handgun, and unlawful possession of hollow-point bullets.8Asbury Park Press. Driver Charged in New Jersey Turnpike Crash That Killed Four Teens
A Salem County grand jury later returned a 15-count indictment expanding on those charges. The weapons counts stem from items found inside the pickup, including a handgun, hollow-point ammunition, and an AR-style rifle fitted with a suppressor. Possession of a suppressor and possession of hollow-point ammunition are separate offenses under New Jersey firearms law.1NJ.com. Motorist Indicted in Wrong-Way Crash on NJ Highway That Killed 4 Teens
Custody and Court Status
At a January 16, 2026 hearing, Neff, through defense attorney Robert Perry, agreed to remain in custody while awaiting trial. Perry told the court that Neff was consenting to the state’s detention application given the posture of the case, but preserved the right to seek review later.9NJ.com. Colorado Man Remains Jailed in Wrong-Way Crash That Killed 4 NJ Teens
As of March 2026, Neff was scheduled to be arraigned on the 15-count indictment in early April 2026. No trial date has been publicly set.1NJ.com. Motorist Indicted in Wrong-Way Crash on NJ Highway That Killed 4 Teens
What the Charges Could Mean
The charges carry substantial prison exposure under New Jersey law. Aggravated manslaughter is a first-degree crime under N.J.S.A. 2C:11-4 and is subject to the No Early Release Act, which requires a convicted person to serve 85% of the imposed sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Vehicular homicide, or death by auto, under N.J.S.A. 2C:11-5, is generally a second-degree offense carrying five to ten years, though it can be elevated to first degree in certain circumstances. Where a vehicular homicide conviction involves intoxication, New Jersey law imposes a mandatory minimum of at least three years, or one-third to one-half of the total sentence, whichever is greater. Because Neff faces four separate counts of each, consecutive sentencing on a conviction could add up to decades in prison.