TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River man has been indicted in a fatal high-speed crash in Toms River in January, and authorities say he had PCP and MDMA in his system at the time of the crash.
Jamie P. Doyle, 40, was indicted Thursday by an Ocean County grand jury in the crash that killed Ronald Bucher, 76, of Toms River, on Jan. 23, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
Doyle was indicted on charges of aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, strict liability vehicular homicide, and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended driver's license while involved in a motor vehicle crash causing death, Billhimer said.
Bucher was driving a red Chevrolet Trax and was crossing Route 37 south on Romana Lane about 8:50 p.m. Jan. 23 when his SUV was hit on the driver's side by a white Nissan Maxima driven by Doyle, who was driving west on Route 37, the prosecutor's office said. Bucher had the right of way, authorities said.
Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said the investigation found that 5 seconds before the crash Doyle was speeding at 106 mph and was going 65 mph when he hit Bucher's Chevrolet. The speed limit on Route 37 is 50 mph.
The force of the impact caused " significant intrusion that extended into the passenger side compartment" of Bucher's SUV, authorities said. Bucher had to be extricated and had significant injuries, and life-saving measures were attempted but were not successful, the prosecutor's office said.
Bucher was taken to Community Medical Center and was pronounced dead at 9:33 p.m., according to the probable cause affidavit.
Witnesses told authorities the Nissan was being driven erratically and the driver had ignored multiple traffic signals before the crash, the prosecutor's office said.
Toms River police officers said Doyle displayed erratic behavior, irregular speech, and constricted pupils at the scene. Doyle initially was charged with operating a motor vehicle with a suspended driver’s license while involved in a motor vehicle crash causing the death of another, driving while intoxicated and driving while suspended, along with multiple motor vehicle offenses, the prosecutor's office said, but the charges were upgraded when authorities learned he had been driving at 100 mph.
A draw of Doyle’s blood was obtained under a search warrant at Community Medical Center, where he was taken after the crash for treatment of a broken femur and possible head injury, the prosecutor's office said.
The laboratory analysis of Doyle’s blood revealed quantities of phencyclidine (PCP) and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or Molly) in Doyle’s bloodstream, the prosecutor's office said.
Doyle was ordered during a detention hearing to remain in custody until trial. He has been at the Ocean County Jail since he was released from the hospital on Jan. 30, the prosecutor's office said.
Previous reporting:
Toms River Man Killed As Drunk Driver Ran Red Light On Route 37, Prosecutor Says
Man Was Driving At High Speed Seconds Before Route 37 Fatal Crash, Prosecutor Says
Driver In High-Speed, Drunken Crash On Route 37 Ordered Held Until Trial
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