NJ man, 13-year-old from Brooklyn killed in Route 31 crash

☑️ The driver of a Jeep tried to pass 2 vehicles in a no-passing zone

☑️ The driver of the other vehicle and a Jeep passenger died after the head-on crash

☑️ The Jeep driver is being held on several charges

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP (Mercer) — A man and a 13-year-old boy were killed in a head-on crash on Route 31 late Sunday night.

Hopewell police Lt. Louis Vastola said a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Kongmi Khu, 32, was driving south on Route 31 between Yard and Woosamonsa roads when he attempted to pass two vehicles in a no-passing zone around 10:50 p.m.

Khu hit a northbound Nissan head-on.

A 13-year-old boy sitting in the front seat of Khu's Jeep was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton and then flown to Cooper University Medical Center in Camden where he ultimately was pronounced dead.

The driver of the Nissan, a 59-year-old Ewing man, was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity was not disclosed.

Two women ages 32 and 35 sitting in the backseat of the Jeep were taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, where they remain in serious but stable condition as of Monday morning.

All the occupants in the Jeep are from Brooklyn, according to Vastola.

Khu was arrested and will be charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter and additional charges.

Popular short cut

Route 31 is a two-lane highway and is a popular shortcut between Routes 78 in Clinton and 295 in Ewing with a double yellow line for much of the road. The speed limit is posted between 40 and 45 mph but is often exceeded.

It is the first fatal crash on Route 31 this year, according to State Police records.

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