Woman Drank 3 Tito's Vodkas, Long Island Iced Tea Before Fatal Toms River Crash: Affidavit

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Ashley Beams decided she wanted to get some takeout and headed out to TGI Fridays about 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 8 to pick up a late-evening meal.

While she waited for her food at the restaurant on Hooper Avenue at Oak Avenue, a bit over 3 miles from her Toms River home, Beams drank a Long Island iced tea, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. She ordered a Tito's vodka on the rocks, then had two more Tito's as well before Beams got her food and headed home, the affidavit said.

At 10:26 p.m. — 41 minutes after she left home — James Cruz of Old Bridge was killed, hit by Beams as he took a package out of the trunk of his car on Bay Avenue, the affidavit said.

Beams, 31, was charged with aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, strict liability vehicular homicide, driving while intoxicated and other motor vehicle offenses on Feb. 16, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

The charges were filed after blood tests revealed Beams had blood alcohol content of 0.321 percent, Billhimer said. In New Jersey, a person is considered legally intoxicated with 0.08 percent blood alcohol content.

Beams was arrested Feb. 16 and was being held in the Ocean County Jail, according to jail records.

At TGI Fridays, Beams consumed about 8 ounces of liquor, according to the affidavit. A Long Island iced tea is a half ounce each of vodka, gin, rum and triple sec, along with sour mix and cola. Liquor served over ice usually amounts to about 2 ounces, according to Binwise, a website for the bar industry.

The affidavit provided details of the events that led up to the crash, including Beams' alcohol consumption, which authorities were able to determine based on a receipt found during a search of Beams' Honda Accord the day after the crash, according to the affidavit.

Cruz was stopped on Bay Avenue to deliver a package, with the hazard lights flashing on his Kia Sorrento, the affidavit said. Ring doorbell video provided to authorities showed Cruz speaking with the person receiving the delivery as he stood at his trunk less than 15 seconds before he was hit, according to the affidavit.

A second witness saw Beams speed off on Bay Avenue after the traffic light at Oak Avenue turned green, the affidavit said. The witness told authorities Beams was all over the road and drifted into the shoulder right before the crash, the affidavit said.

Police said there were no skid marks at the scene, and Beams continued forward 96 feet from the point where she hit Cruz, the affidavit said. His hat was found on the ground near where he was hit, the affidavit said.

Cruz was pronounced dead at 10:42 p.m., less than an hour after Beams left her home.

Beams, who was not wearing her seatbelt and was injured in the crash, was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, the affidavit said. En route, an EMS crew chief smelled alcohol on Beams; she told him she had consumed a half pint of vodka before the crash, the affidavit said.

A search warrant was approved at 12:27 a.m. to draw Beams' blood at the hospital, which happened at 12:45 a.m., two hours after the crash, according to the affidavit.

A search of Beams' car turned up the TGI Fridays receipt, the food she had ordered and two empty vodka "shooter" bottles on the floor of the car, the affidavit said. A "shooter" contains 1.5 ounces of alcohol.

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, Lacey police said. Court records show she pleaded guilty to the charge and her license was suspended for a year in that case.

Friends of Cruz set up a GoFundMe campaign to help his family with a funeral service, which was held Feb. 18. Photos and tributes posted to Cruz on the Mack Memorial Home website showed him smiling and laughing with friends.

"Only 6 months ago Jimmy lost his mother, who lived with him because he did not want her to be in a senior home," Joe Irizarry said on the GoFundMe page. "He took great care of her, looking out for her every need. He was generous with his time and was always smiling. He brought joy to all that knew him."

"There are NO words that can describe someone who was always positive even in negative times," a family member wrote. "I know I WILL miss you Jimmy. You were a true friend first and foremost. We ALL love you."

Note: This has been updated to show Beams' license was suspended after the 2014 incident.

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