Man Who Killed Woman In Morris Co. Crash Faces Judge

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — The man who admitted to striking and killing a pedestrian with his truck earlier this year has learned his fate in court, prosecutors say.

On Friday, Matthew Vining, 29, of Chatham Township, was sentenced to a three-year term of probation, with 364 days in Morris County Correctional Facility as a condition, 80 hours of community service, and a six-month license suspension
that will commence upon release from jail for his role in the fatal accident.

On Jan. 2, around noon, police were called to Fairmount Avenue in Chatham Borough on reports that someone had been hit by a car.

Authorities discovered that Vining, driving a Ford F-150, hit a pedestrian while headed south on Fairmount Avenue, police said. Officials said he was driving on the shoulder of the road at the time of the collision.

The pedestrian, 54, was rushed to the Morristown Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead five days later. Prosecutors are not revealing the deceased’s identity at this time.

Vining told police that his windshield had been “fogged up” and was obstructing his vision, blocking him from seeing the person on the shoulder, an affidavit reads.

More: ‘Foggy Windshield’ Played Part In Fatal Morris County Crash, Driver Says

Vining was charged with reckless vehicular homicide in February.

On May 4, Vining pleaded guilty to the reckless vehicular homicide charge and admitted to a traffic violation for failure to maintain a lane.

"While nothing can undo the loss suffered by the victim’s family and our community, we remain committed to thoroughly investigating all serious motor vehicle crashes and, when the evidence supports allegations of distracted or reckless driving, holding unsafe drivers accountable for their actions,” said Chatham Borough Police Chief Brian Gibbons in a February statement.