2019 Toms River Overdose Death Leads To Strict Liability Indictment

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Burlington County man has been indicted on charges that he supplied the heroin and cocaine that led to the 2019 overdose death of a man in Toms River, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced.

William Anderson, 57, of Browns Mills, Pemberton Township, was indicted May 4 by an Ocean County grand jury on charges of strict liability drug-induced death, distribution of cocaine, distribution of fentanyl, possession of less than a half-ounce of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of less than an ounce of fentanyl with intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute less than a half-ounce of cocaine and conspiracy to distribute less than an ounce of fentanyl, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

The overdose happened Feb. 28, 2019, Billhimer said. Toms River police were called to the Pelican Inn on Route 37 in Toms River and found a 29-year-old man apparently suffering from a drug overdose. Officers attempted lifesaving measures and EMS took over and were able to re-establish the man's pulse. He was taken to Community Medical Center, but died two days later, on March 2, 2019, authorities said.

Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force and the Toms River Police Department determined Anderson had supplied heroin and cocaine to a third party on Feb. 27, 2019, and those were ultimately supplied to the victim, Billhimer said.

The toxicology analysis later confirmed the presence of cocaine and fentanyl in the victim’s system. The laboratory analysis determined the fentanyl and cocaine supplied to the victim and distributed by Anderson was, in fact, cocaine and fentanyl and matched the cocaine and fentanyl found in the victim’s system, Billhimer said.

The Ocean County Medical Examiner ruled that, based upon the toxicology analysis, the cocaine and fentanyl found in the victim’s system was the cause of his death, Billhimer said, and Anderson was charged with strict liability on Aug. 20, 2021.

Anderson was arrested Aug. 24, 2021 by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and Pemberton Township Police Department and taken to the Ocean County Jail, but later released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform, Billhimer said.

Anderson remains free awaiting trial.