Delanco Man Sentenced In DWI Crash That Killed Married Couple

A Delanco man has been sentenced to 12 years, six months in state prison in connection with an accident that killed a married couple in the jug handle at Route 130 and Bridgeboro Road in Willingboro, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced.

Amish Patel, 31, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated for the deaths of Robert Stephens, 52, and his wife Janet, 50, of Burlington Township, on Jan. 13, 2018.

He acknowledged in court that he had been drinking and at the time of the accident was travelling at a speed of more than 100 miles per hour, according to authorities.

Patel was driving north on Route 130 when he lost control of his BMW 440, entered the jug handle and crashed into the Stephens’ minivan, which was parked in the jug handle at about 4:30 p.m., according to authorities.

After being struck, the minivan went over the guardrail and into an embankment, where it became submerged in a body of water that is part of Olympia Lakes, according to authorities. Autopsies revealed that both victims drowned, authorities said.

“Our thoughts are with the friends and family members of Mr. and Mrs. Stephens, who spoke so beautifully today about what special and selfless people they were,” Coffina said. “This tragedy is made all the worse by the fact that it was entirely avoidable. There is absolutely no justification for anyone who is intoxicated to get behind the wheel.”

Patel must serve 85 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Read more here: Man Indicted In DWI Accident That Killed Couple: BCPO