Toms River Woman Was High In Route 571 Crash That Killed 2 Men: Prosecutor

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River woman was high on marijuana when she crashed into a Ford F-550 pickup truck, setting off a chain reaction that killed two men and injured two others in Manchester Township, authorities said.

Danielle Bowker, 30, was charged with two counts each of vehicular homicide, assault by auto, strict liability vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated in connection with the crash that killed Michael Sadis, 48, and Paul Lamberti, 58, both of Toms River, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said Tuesday.

The crash happened about 7:15 a.m. March 29 near Whitesville Road and Route 571. The investigation found that Bowker driving was driving west on Route 571 in a 2018 Honda Civic when she swerved out of her lane on the curve near Whitesville Road, BIllhimer said.

Her car hit a Ford F-550 pickup truck owned by the New Jersey Department of Transportation that was being driven by Eduardo Rivera, 30, of Hamilton Township, Billhimer said. Rivera and his passenger, and Daniel Septor, 26, of the Cream Ridge section of Upper Freehold Township, both were injured, Billhimer said.

The impact caused the Ford F-550 to hit a 2012 Toyota Camry driven by Sadis, pushing the Camry off the road into an embankment. Sadis was pronounced dead at the scene, Billhimer said.

The Ford F-550 then hit a 2015 Toyota Corolla driven by Lamberti, who was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where he died a few days after the crash. Read more: 1 Killed, 1 'Critical' After 4-Vehicle Route 571 Crash In Manchester

Bowker sustained minor injuries from the crash and was also taken to Community Medical Center for treatment.

Lab tests performed on the night of the crash reviewed by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit found that Bowker had an active THC (marijuana) level of 7 nanograms (ng) with a metabolite THC level of 61ng, showing that Bowker was a “recent, active user of marijuana” at the time of the crash.

“Upon reviewing the laboratory results of Bowker’s blood draw, the state’s psychopharmacologist rendered an opinion that at the time of the crash, Bowker’s faculties were impaired due to the effects of marijuana intoxication, and that she could not safely operate a motor vehicle,” Billhimer said.

Bowker surrendered herself to Manchester Township Police Headquarters on June 21, 2022. She is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.