Woman faces charges for causing fatal accident

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Last Thursday, a 37-year-old man who had been involved in a car accident on July 29 died as a result of a head injury incurred in the accident. Police said an 18-year-old woman was responsible for the accident, and now faces several drug charges as well as a charge of careless driving. Police do not believe that the young woman was under the influence of narcotics at the time of the accident, though they were found in his vehicle afterward. The specific charges against her are possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of narcotics in a motor vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia and careless driving. The victim had reportedly been visiting New Jersey on a business trip, and had been driving a rental vehicle when the young woman lost control of her vehicle, crossed over the a center median and crashed straight into the man's vehicle on Route 22 West in Bridgewater. The man was taken to intensive care at a hospital in New Brunswick for treatment of severe head trauma. Caregivers were unable to save him, and he died six days later. The young woman suffered no injury. Sources said that investigators declined to say why they believe the woman lost control of her vehicle. Sources said the young woman faces a mandatory two-year suspension of her driver's license, as well as a maximum of six months in prison and a $1,000 fine in connection with each of her two other charges. The accident remains under investigation. Source: mycentraljersey.com, "Crash victim dies of injuries," Mark Spivey, August 5, 2011.