South Jersey Man Sentenced in Crash That Killed Cherry Hill Mother and Daughter

A Pennsauken man has been sentenced to 27 years in state prison in connection with a motor vehicle crash that killed a mother and her daughter from Cherry Hill, according to Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo, Merchantville Police Chief Wayne Bauer and Pennsauken Police Chief John Coffey.

Keith A. Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty in March to two counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter and one count of second-degree assault by auto.

He acknowledged driving between 70 and 100 mph in a 25-mph zone when his Dodge Durango collided head-on with a Honda Odyssey at Chapel and Russell avenues in Merchantville around 3:40 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2013.

Anaida Medina, 36, and her daughter, Stephanie Garcia, 18, both of Cherry Hill, were killed in the crash.

A passenger in Johnson’s vehicle, a then-26-year-old Pennsauken woman, was hospitalized with numerous serious injuries, but survived.

The investigation revealed Johnson’s northbound Durango was in an oncoming lane of traffic at the time of the crash. Forensic testing found Johnson had significant levels of PCP in his blood and urine. Johnson did not dispute these findings in court.

Johnson will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence before he is eligible for parole.