OCEAN COUNTY, NJ – Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Ashley Watkins, 32, of Eatontown, has been sentenced to five years in New Jersey State Prison for vehicular homicide. The sentence, delivered by the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, P.J.Cr.P., on December 1st stems from a fatal motor vehicle crash in Brick Township on May 9, 2021. The crash resulted in the death of 78-year-old Nancy Penrod of Brick. Watkins is subject to the No Early Release Act (NERA), requiring her to serve at least 85 percent of her sentence before parole eligibility.
Watkins pled guilty to vehicular homicide on October 5th. On the day of her sentencing, she also pled guilty to Driving While Intoxicated, resulting in a seven-month suspension of her driving privileges by Judge Ryan.
The incident occurred on May 9, 2021, when Watkins, driving a 2011 Toyota Camry, crossed the center line on Lanes Mill Road and collided head-on with a 2014 Dodge Caravan driven by Terry Penrod, Nancy Penrod’s husband. Mr. Penrod sustained a broken leg and was hospitalized, while Ms. Penrod, who was a passenger in the Dodge Caravan, later succumbed to her injuries.
Watkins suffered minor injuries and was treated at Ocean Medical Center. A subsequent blood test revealed the presence of fentanyl, diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and marijuana in her bloodstream, impairing her ability to drive safely.
Following the toxicology report, Watkins was arrested on June 4, 2021, by detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit and officers from the Brick Township Police Department. She was initially held at the Ocean County Jail but was later released under New Jersey Bail Reform.