Denis Zelaya Zapata, Edwin Montolla Padilla Killed in Car Accident in Jackson Township, NJ
Jackson Township, NJ — February 15, 2026, Denis Zelaya Zapata and Edwin Montolla Padilla were killed due to a car accident just after midnight on Hyson Road.
Initial details from authorities say that 29-year-old Denis Ricardo Zelaya Zapata and 36-year-old Edwin Ramon Montolla Padilla were in a Toyota Highlander going along Hyson Road. Due to factors unclear, the vehicle ran off the side of the road. There, it crashed into a tree.
As a result of the crash, both Denis Zelaya Zapata and Edwin Montolla Padilla sustained fatal injuries. No other injuries were reported. Additional details about the crash are unavailable.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Anytime a serious crash like this comes across my desk, I find that three key questions give a good idea of what next steps to take:
- Are authorities treating the investigations as a priority?
- Has the vehicle been inspected for defects?
- Have authorities taken steps to pull and preserve electronic evidence?
In my experience, car crashes like this sometimes receive shallow, haphazard investigations. If authorities can provide satisfactory answers to these questions, it's generally because they're already doing good investigations. However, when the answers start to come up short, it can be a sign that independent accident reconstructionists need to step in and make sure nothing important is slipping through the cracks.
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