Driver Indicted In Connection With Holmdel Fatal Crash

A Marlboro resident has been indicted on a vehicular homicide charge in connection with a crash last year.

A grand jury handed up an indictment against Robert A. Pennington, 51, of School East Road in Marlboro.

Siva Kovvuri, 32, of Old Bridge was killed in the Dec. 5 crash on Route 34, near East Lawn Drive in Holmdel, according to a news release from acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

According to that news release:

Just before midnight, Pennington was driving a 2008 Chrysler Town and County minivan south on Route 34.

Kovvuri, of the Parlin section of Old Bridge, was driving a 2008 Hyundai Accent north on the highway.

Pennington failed to negotiate a slight curve in the road. Instead, he continued straight, crossed over the double yellow line and hit the Hyundai head-on.

Kovvuri was wearing his seatbelt, but suffered significant traumatic injuries to his head, torso and extremities. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pennington was transported to Bayshore Community Hospital as a precaution and later released.

Investigators determined Pennington spent several hours before the crash drinking beer at Fantasies, a gentleman’s club in Keyport. After the crash, a blood sample showed he had a blood alcohol concentration of .258 percent, more than three times the legal limit in New Jersey.

Pennington is free on $100,000 bail.

If convicted, he faces five- to 10-years in prison.

Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Tara Wilson and Nicole Wallace are handling the state’s case. Pennington is represented by Freehold-based attorney Charles F. Clark, Jr.

The investigation was handled by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team (SCART) and Holmdel police.