Old Bridge Man Killed By Drunk Driver In Toms River, Police Say

TOMS RIVER, NJ — An Old Bridge man was killed Feb. 8 in what police say was a drunk driving crash in Toms River; a 31-year-old woman has been charged in his death.

Ashley Beams, 31, of Toms River was arrested Wednesday and charged with aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, strict liability vehicular homicide plus driving while intoxicated.

The Ocean County Prosecutor said her blood-alcohol level was four times the legal limit at the time of the fatal crash.

James Cruz, 62, of the Parlin section of Old Bridge was killed. Friends of Cruz set up a GoFundMe campaign to help his family with a funeral service.

The crash happened just before 10:30 p.m. Feb. 8 on Bay Avenue in Toms River, authorities said.

Cruz was getting a package out of the trunk of his car when Beams, who was driving east on Bay Avenue, drifted into the shoulder just past Twin Oaks Drive and hit Cruz, pinning him between his vehicle and hers, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said.

Cruz remained pinned between the two vehicles as they continued 96 feet down the street before coming to a stop, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Beams was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment of the injuries she also sustained in the crash, Billhimer said.

The initial draw of her blood at the hospital revealed Beams had a blood-alcohol concentration of .32 percent, he said. In New Jersey, the operator of a motor vehicle is presumed to be over the legal limit when the blood-alcohol concentration is .08 percent or higher.

Beams is being held at the Ocean County Jail in Toms River.

She was also charged with reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, careless driving and failure to wear a seat belt.

Originally reported by Karen Wall/Toms River Patch

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