Orlando Velez was packing up his car after going crabbing with his two sons before daybreak Sunday morning.
The Philadelphia father often brought his boys to Absecon, where it is peaceful and calm, their mother, Kaylah Smith, told BreakingAC.
Javier Velez, who just turned 8 earlier this month, was asleep in the back seat when Edward Johnston struck the parked car on Absecon Boulevard, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office confirmed.
"Javi's stuck in the car," his distraught father repeated crying when he called Smith at work.
Rescue workers had to extract the trapped child from the car. The road westbound was closed for several hours.
Smith rushed from Philadelphia to the Trauma Unit at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center. But her son was already gone at the scene, she said.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said the boy died later at the hospital.
Johnston, 25, of Egg Harbor City, was issued several motor vehicle summonses, including for driving under the influence, according to the Prosecutor's Office.
He was taken to the hospital, with toxicology results pending. Johnston has not been charged criminally at this time.
"That man is a killer," Smith said. "He’s not injured and he’s free. He’s free now to do whatever he wants and my kid is in a morgue."
Javier was an adventurous child who loved to ride bikes and go fishing with his father, his mother said.
"He was an amazing little boy," she said. "Everyone loved him."
Javi was also a loving big brother.
"He’s never going to understand," Smith said of Jerry. "He’s going to look for his brother every day."
The Prosecutor's Office is expected to put out more information. But charges could be a while, since toxicology tests can sometimes take months.
"I want people to know that that man is a killer," Smith said. "That my son was a few seconds from getting home. It was not his time to go he was taken from us.
"He destroyed our family. He destroyed our lives," she added. "We are never going to be the same. We are ruined."
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Detective Dylan Hutton at 609-909-7885 or Absecon Police Sgt. Ryan O’Connell at 609-641-0667, ext. 208.
Information may also be provided anonymously by filling out a Submit a tip form at ACPO.Tips, or by calling Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visiting http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.
This loss has come so unexpectedly for the family, and we ask to please help us raise money to pay for his final farewell during this very painful time. No amount will lessen the heartbreak. All donations will go toward his funeral expenses and money left over will go toward the family as they heal from this unthinkable tragedy. CLICK HERE TO DONATE
