Woman Who Killed Old Bridge Man In DWI Crash Pleads Guilty

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A 32-year-old Toms River woman has now pleaded guilty to a 2022 drunk driving crash that killed an Old Bridge man.

Ashley Beams, 32, pleaded guilty Monday in Ocean County Superior Court to vehicular homicide for the Feb. 8, 2022 fatal crash, which happened in Toms River. As part of her plea agreement, prosecutors will request a six-year prison sentence; sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 15, said Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer.

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

The young woman hit him with her car at 10:26 that night on Bay Avenue in Toms River: Police say she had gone to TGIFriday's to pick up dinner, and while waiting for her order she had a Long Island iced tea, followed by three Tito's vodka on the rocks. Read more: Woman Had 4 Drinks Before Fatal Toms River Crash: Affidavit

As she drove home, she drifted onto the shoulder of the road and hit Cruz, who was getting a package from the trunk of his car that night. He was pinned between the two vehicles, and Beams kept driving, going another 96 feet before coming to a stop. She remained at the scene, and she was also injured in the crash.

Cruz was pronounced dead at the scene.

Beam had a blood alcohol concentration of .321 percent, four times the 0.08 percent limit where a person is considered legally intoxicated in New Jersey, according to the affidavit.

Authorities said people "close to" Beams said she had "struggled with an alcohol addiction for several years," the affidavit said. She was arrested previously on a charge of driving while intoxicated; in 2014, Beams was arrested in Lacey after police were called to a dispute at a Forked River home.