A 30-year-old woman killed in a crash on the Garden State Parkway over the weekend was a special education teacher who was planning on getting married.
Jessica Munoz was a teacher at the Grace Wilday School in Roselle. She had recently moved in with her boyfriend Dan Valentine. She was killed Saturday in a crash on the highway in Clifton.
Munoz’s father Albert Munoz says that she was on her way to see him when she died.
“I got home and she was gone already,” he says.
Munoz says that he was returning home from the hospital following a procedure. Jessica had left Rahway to come meet him at his home in Maywood.
"Three exits away. Exit 157 - she lost control of the car somehow and she passed,” Munoz says.
Jessica was the only person in the car and no other vehicles were involved. State Police have told the family they are investigating whether or not poor weather played a role.
Munoz and boyfriend Dan Valentine moved in together in December and were planning on getting married.
“We had gotten sized for rings,” Valentine says. “We knew it was coming.”
Valentine says that Jessica had decided to head to her father’s home ahead of Valentine, who would meet her there later.
He says he told her, "I'll meet you there. Plus I have the husky. We were going to bring the dog here. I didn't want dog hair in the car. So she left.”
Valentine says that was the last time he saw Jessica. He says that he hopes that she is remembered for putting her family and her students first.