Crime & Safety
Eatontown Woman High On Pot, Fentanyl Caused Fatal Crash: Police
Prosecutors say she drove while high on fentanyl and marijuana last May, killing a Brick woman in a head-on car collision.
EATONTOWN, NJ — An Eatontown woman was indicted Wednesday after prosecutors say she caused a fatal head-on car collision while high on fentanyl and marijuana. She also had Benadryl in her system, said police.
The crash occurred in Brick on May 9, 2021 and resulted in the death of a Brick woman, Nancy Penrod, 78, said Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer.
This week, Ashley Watkins, 30, of Eatontown, was indicted by an Ocean County grand jury on charges of vehicular homicide, strict-liability vehicular homicide and assault by auto.
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At approximately 9:45 a.m. on May 9 Brick Twp. Police responded to the intersection of Lanes Mill Road and Greenwood Loop for a serious motor vehicle crash with injuries. Police say a 2011 Toyota Camry operated by Watkins was traveling southwest on Lanes Mill Road when she crossed the center line of the roadway and collided head-on with a 2014 Dodge Caravan, driven by Terry Penrod, 78, of Brick.
Penrod’s wife, Nancy Penrod, was a passenger in the vehicle.
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The man sustained a broken leg and was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and she was rushed to Ocean Medical Center, where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased.
Watkins sustained minor injuries from the crash, and was taken to Ocean Medical Center for treatment. While at Ocean Medical Center, Watkins consented to a draw of her blood.
On June 2, 2021, the toxicology results of Watkins' blood-draw revealed the presence of fentanyl, diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and marijuana in her bloodstream, "which rendered her unfit to safely operate a motor vehicle at the time of the crash," said the prosecutor.
On June 4, 2021, detectives arrested Watkins at her Eatontown home without incident. Watkins was taken to the Ocean County Jail, and later released due to New Jersey bail reform.
Assistant Prosecutor Kimberly Carr presented the case to the grand jury on behalf of Ocean County.
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