DWI, Manslaughter Charges In Wrong-Way Rt. 18 Crash That Killed Woman

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — A 20-year-old Old Bridge man has been charged with driving while intoxicated and causing the death of a Sayreville woman Sunday night on Rt. 18 in Old Bridge.

The Old Bridge man is James Cannici, 20.

The Sayreville woman who was killed is Florence Akoma, 45.

The crash happened at approximately 11:17 p.m. Sunday on Rt. 18 at Ferris Road, said Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Acting Old Bridge Police Chief Donald Fritz, Jr. Police say Cannici was driving while intoxicated and he turned the wrong way onto Rt. 18, again the flow of traffic.

He was driving a Nissan Rogue and turned left from Ferris Road onto the wrong side of Rt. 18, where he struck a Honda Accord, plus a third car. Akoma was a passenger in the Honda Accord, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Honda Accord sustained significant injuries.

The driver of the third car was not injured.

Cannici was arrested at the scene and charged with driving while intoxicated. The next day, Monday, he was charged with much more serious offenses, including first-degree aggravated manslaughter, second-degree vehicular homicide, third-degree aggravated assault and fourth-degree assault by auto.

Cannici is presently being held at the Middlesex County Jail in North Brunswick. The investigation into this fatal crash was done by Old Bridge Police Detective Dan Haviland and Detective James Alleva of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Anyone with information or surveillance footage is asked to call Detective Haviland at 732-721-5600 ext. 3210 or Detective Alleva at 732-745-4011.