Burlington County Man Was Drunk In Crash That Killed Son, 4: Cops

A South Jersey was drunk when he caused the death of his 4-year-old boy and injured the boy’s brother in a car crash earlier this year, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Willingboro Township Public Safety Director Gregory Rucker announced on Wednesday.

Ossie Thomas, 27, of Mount Laurel, has been charged with one count of second-degree vehicular homicide, two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree assault by auto, third-degree driving while suspended and causing a fatal accident and fourth-degree driving while suspended and causing bodily injury.

The accident happened at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 8, when Thomas lost control of his car on Rancocas Road in Willingboro and crashed into a tree, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.

Police said Thomas was speeding when he turned onto Primrose Lane and lost control of his car. His twin boys were in the car with him at the time.

One of the twins was pronounced dead an hour later at Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County in Willingboro, according to the prosecutor’s office. The other child was taken to Cooper University Medical Center in Camden and treated for a traumatic brain injury. He has since been released.

Thomas was arrested Wednesday morning following an investigation that included eyewitness accounts and toxicology tests conducted on blood drawn from Thomas following the accident.
Thomas was also issued multiple traffic summonses, including for driving while intoxicated, having an open container of alcohol, driving with a suspended license and failing to properly restrain his children.

He was arrested by members of the Burlington County Sheriff’s Department Warrant Unit, with assistance from the Medford Township Police Department. He was scheduled to make his first court appearance on Wednesday. His case would then be prepared for presentation to a grand jury.

Thomas is being prosecuted by BCPO Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Dennis. The lead investigators are BCPO Detective Melvin Rogers and Willingboro Police Detectives Gil Quinones and Monica Podraza.