A man was speeding and had been drinking before a crash last year that claimed the life of a 22-year-old woman on a Marlboro highway, authorities said.
Walter Decanio, 59, of Howell Township was charged with aggravated manslaughter while driving under the influence of alcohol and vehicular homicide in connection with the Feb. 13, 2022 crash that left the Monroe Township woman — who was not identified at the request of her family — dead, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office announced Wednesday. Decanio was also issued summonses for failure to observe a traffic control device, failure to wear a seat belt, speeding, reckless driving, and operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Officers from the Marlboro and Old Bridge police department were called to the intersection of U.S. Route 9 and County Route 520/Newman Springs Road shortly before 2:30 a.m. and saw that a 2019 Cadillac XT5 crossover that was driven by Decanio and a 2018 Nissan Altima driven by the woman had collided, the office said.
The woman suffered multiple severe injuries as the result of the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later, officials said. Decanio was not hurt.
Decanio was driving nearly 80 miles per hour and was under the influence of alcohol when he was driving south on Route 9 when he collided with the side of the Altima, which was traveling west, as it passed through the intersection on Route 520, according to the statement.
Decanio turned himself in to authorities last week. A first appearance will take place in Monmouth County Superior Court, the office said.
Anyone with information about the crash was still asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Brian Boryszewski at 800-533-7443 or Marlboro Police Department Cpl. David Ruditsky at 732-536-0100.
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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
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