Woman Pleads Guilty In DUI Crash That Killed Doylestown Native

A 30-year-old woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to vehicular homicide charges in connection with a head-on crash that killed a Doylestown native last summer on Rt. 611 in Bedminster Township.

Prosecutors say Jaclyn Jones, 30, of Nockamixon Township, was impaired by drugs and was driving with a DUI-suspended license when she crashed into a car driven by Christopher Marinelli, 21. The late August crash also seriously injured his girlfriend, who was riding as a passenger in the car at the time of the crash.

According to his obituary, Marinelli attended Groveland Elementary School and Tohickon Middle School in Plumstead Township. He went on to graduate from Central Bucks East.

Prosecutors with the Bucks County District Attorney's office said Jones’ northbound Jeep Patriot crossed a double-yellow center line and hit Marinelli’s Saturn sedan shortly after 9 p.m. He died at the scene of multiple blunt-force injuries.

His girlfriend, Gabrialle Otero, was flown from the scene and hospitalized in critical condition. Otero has since completed months of physical therapy but continues to suffer from headaches, anxiety, impaired vision, amnesia and other medical issues from the crash, prosecutors say.

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Jones, who suffered lesser injuries, was taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem, where she consented to a blood draw. Tests show her blood contained amphetamine, clonazepam, oxycodone, topiramate, and fentanyl in concentrations sufficient to make her impaired, prosecutors said.

Witnesses who were in front of Smith’s Jeep on Rt. 611 told police that before the crash she had been swerving and driving at irregular speeds, closing into within a half-vehicle length of their car before backing off.

The witnesses said they saw the Jeep swerve across the center line 10 to 12 times before the crash, prosecutors said. After the crash, her speech was slurred, witnesses said.

At the time of the crash, her license had been suspended due to two DUI convictions – one alcohol-related, the other drug-related. She was permitted only to drive to and from work and school, and only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays.

Investigators said Jones had violated those conditions by shopping at the Willow Grove Park Mall before stopping at a Wawa before the crash.

In addition to the homicide by vehicle while DUI charges, Jones pleaded guilty to aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, DUI and two summary driving offenses.

She will be sentenced on Sept. 18.

Image via Bucks County DA