Route 9 car crash kills two 20-year-olds from Spotswood, cops say

A Saturday night crash along Route 9 has left two young men dead, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office announced on Sunday.

Manalapan Police responded around 9:30 p.m. to a single vehicle crash on Route 9, just south of Smallwood Lane.

A 2004 Infiniti G35 was being driven northbound by Jonathan Ramirez, with Justin Rochford as his only passenger, when Ramirez lost control and left the roadway, police said.

Both men were 20-year-old Spotswood residents.

The car hit a curb, utility pole and a guard rail before it landed in a wooded area about 100 yards away, according to the prosecutor's office.

Rochford was pronounced dead on the scene, while Ramirez died of his injuries at a local hospital.

"Last night we lost two members of the class of 2018. Our thoughts, prayers, and love to the families of Justin Rochford and Johnny Ramirez," a Facebook post said Sunday to the group "SHS Class of 2018."

As of Sunday afternoon, police did not disclose what might have led to the crash.

Anyone who might have witnessed the incident can contact Monmouth County Detective Kristian DeVito at 800-533-7443 or Manalapan Police at 732-446-4300.