Jail For Cop Who Killed Stanhope Woman In Drunk Crash

STANHOPE, NJ — A Long Branch police officer will spend 364 days in jail and will lose his job after he was sentenced for striking and killing pedestrian Karen Borkowski, 66, of Stanhope in 2017, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said.

Jake Pascucci, 28, Long Branch, will also serve 5 years of probation upon his release from county jail. He was also sentenced to 30 days for driving while intoxicated, which will run concurrent to the county jail time, the prosecutor said.

Pascucci pleaded guilty on April 3, 2018 to strict liability vehicular homicide in the third degree and driving while intoxicated in connection with Borkowski's death on Sept. 22, 2017. He will forfeit his job with the police department and will lose his driving privilege for three months.

Borkowski was crossing Ocean Boulevard at the intersection with Broadway in Long Branch around 8:15 p.m. that night when she was struck by Pascucci's 2016 Jeep Cherokee, according to authorities.
Borkowski was pronounced dead at the scene after the crash. Pascucci's Jeep had severe front end damage from the accident, according to previous reports.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office handled the case because of a conflict Pascucci has with the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Pascucci was previously charged with reckless driving and careless driving in addition to the DUI and vehicular homicide charges.

Superior Court Judge Michael A. Toto sentenced Pascucci after a plea agreement reached with Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Keith Abrams. Toto allowed Pascucci to remain free pending the filing of a notice of appeal, Carey said.

The Long Branch officer was charged after an investigation by Detective Donald Heck of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.

Photo: Courtesy of Long Branch Police Department

Reporting by Pat Miller