Families of crash victims turn to school for solace
Police seek witnesses to accident that killed two LBHS grads
BY CHRISTINE VARNO
Staff Writer

MIGUEL JUAREZ staff At the conclusion of funeral services at Lutheran Church of the Reformation, West Long Branch, a grieving Jeanethe Pereira says goodbye to her son, Roberto Marques Pereira, who died in a traffic accident Nov. 5. Alongside her is Margarita Ramirez, whose daughter, Corinne Quintana, was killed in the same accident on Route 520 in Middletown.

Roberto Pereira planned to coach a wrestling team in his hometown next season. Corinne Quintana, aspired to become an FBI agent to make a better life for her family.

But the dreams of the two Long Branch High School graduates came to a tragic end last week when Pereira, 18, Long Branch, and Quintana, 22, Eatontown, were killed in a car accident on Route 520 in the Lincroft section of Middletown.

"He was full of life and very energetic," Charles Ferrara Jr., director of athletics for the Long Branch School District, said Monday.

Ferrara said he remembers Pereira's dedication to the school.

"He had a charismatic personality. He would run into my office and say 'Coach, I heard this. What are we going to do about it? How are we going to do it?'," Ferrara said.

"He always took a leadership role and was involved in everything."

Pereira was a member of the Long Branch High School wrestling and soccer teams and even after graduation, Ferrara said he still remained involved in the school's athletic programs.

"He's been back to the school," Ferrara said, adding, that Pereira had plans to coach the Long Branch recreational wrestling program.

"He was very pumped up about it," he said.

Kate Billings, Quintana's high school grade administrator, said last week that she remembers her as a beautiful young woman.

"Corinne's mother called me [Thursday] morning to let me know what a difference I made in her life," Billings said. "Hearing that made it all worthwhile."

"Corinne always wanted to do well," Billings remembered. "She and her mother were so close."

PHOTOS BY MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Family and friends, including former Long Branch High School classmates, attended the funeral Monday of Roberto Pereira, of Long Branch, who was killed in an accident Nov. 1. Corinne Quintana, Eatontown, a passenger in the vehicle, who was also a graduate of LBHS, also died in the crash.

Pereira was on his way to classes at Brookdale Community College Nov. 1 and was to drop off Quintana at her job on the way the day of the fatal accident.

According to Long Branch Superintendent of Schools Joseph M. Ferraina, the young people shared high hopes for the future and the common experience of being only children.

"They both were so close with their mothers," Ferraina, said.

Moments after Ferraina heard the news about the accident last week, he said family members of both Quintana and Pereira reached out to the school for support.

"I talked with [Pereira's] mother and it was incredible hearing what an impact our [school administrators] had on her son's life," Ferraina said.

"Then five minutes later we got a call from [Quintana's] family looking to speak with one of our administrators.

"I am proud that these families felt comfortable enough to reach out and we are able to just be there for them.

"These are the kinds of things that make a difference," Ferraina continued. "These are the things that don't show up in test scores."

Pereira graduated from Long Branch High School in June.

Ferraina said the day before the accident he met Pereira at the Cafe Lapa on Broadway in Long Branch.

"He told me he was going to Brookdale and he thanked me," Ferraina said.

"He thanked me," Ferraina repeated. "That was the kind of kid he was.

"He always went out of his way for others," he added.

According to Middletown Police Lt. Craig Weber, the accident occurred at 8:11 a.m. on Newman Springs Road.

Jeanethe Pereira and Margarita Ramirez, mothers of Pereira and Quintana, grieve at Roberto Pereira's funeral.

Pereira was driving a black Acura and was traveling westbound on Newman Springs Road.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Weber.

According to police reports, Pereira lost control of his vehicle and crossed over the roadway and collided with a dump truck traveling eastbound on Newman Springs Road.

"We believe the dump truck moved into the right lane heading eastbound after the impact," Weber said.

The dump truck was then struck by a school bus with no passengers in it, according to police reports.

The drivers of both the school bus and dump truck and the passenger in the dump truck were treated at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank and released with minor injuries the day of the accident, police said.

Police are seeking more details about the accident and are asking any witnesses to call the Middletown Police Department at (732) 615-2045.

Weber said he does not anticipate any charges being pressed in this case.

Quintana graduated from Long Branch High School in 2002, and was a recent graduate of Brookdale Community College where she earned an associate's degree in criminal justice.

A relative of Quintana, Gail Laura, spoke on behalf of Quintana's grief-stricken mother Monday.

"She wanted to work with the FBI," Laura said, adding how proud Quintana's mother, Margarita Ramirez, was of her daughter.

"[Corinne} would always say to her mother, 'I am going to make things better,'" Laura said.

"Corinne had such strength for a 22-year-old," Laura continued. "She was the most caring, the most giving human being. She was as beautiful inside as she was outside.

"She was an amazing daughter, friend, niece and granddaughter," Laura added.

Services for Quintana were held Saturday at Flock Funeral Home in Long Branch, and a Mass was celebrated at St. John's Episcopal Church, also in Long Branch, on Sunday.

Pereira's services were held on Sunday at Woolley Funeral Home in Long Branch and a service was held Monday at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in West Long Branch.

Laura said the mothers of Quintana and Pereira have been in "constant contact" and are leaning on each other for support.