NJ man indicted after high-speed crash launched car 189 feet, killing passenger
Lakewood, NJ — A Toms River man was indicted Tuesday on multiple charges, including aggravated manslaughter, after investigators say he drove drunk at nearly 100 mph, lost control of his vehicle, went airborne for 189 feet, and killed his passenger in a violent crash earlier this year in Lakewood.
Martine Taylor Jr., 56, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and causing death while driving with a suspended license. The charges stem from a May 13 crash that claimed the life of Christine Kroliczak, 52, of Matawan.
Police were first called to Cedar Bridge Avenue around 1:35 a.m. by a commercial truck driver who reported striking overhead wires. Upon arrival, officers located a heavily damaged 2015 Nissan Altima upside down in a drainage ditch near the eastbound lanes. Inside, they found Taylor injured and trapped behind the wheel and Kroliczak unresponsive in the passenger seat. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to investigators, the Altima had been traveling westbound when it suddenly crossed the center line and entered the eastbound lanes. It then launched off the roadway, cleared a guardrail, struck a utility pole while airborne, hit the ground briefly, became airborne again, hit a tree, and finally landed on its roof in the ditch.
Further investigation determined that Taylor was driving on a suspended license at the time of the crash. A court-authorized blood draw at Jersey Shore University Medical Center showed Taylor’s blood alcohol content was .182 — more than twice the legal limit in New Jersey.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office also said Taylor had been driving between 94 and 98 mph moments before the crash and did not appear to have braked. The speed limit in the area is 50 mph.
Taylor was initially charged with causing death while driving with a suspended license and was released from jail under New Jersey Bail Reform. However, after lab results and additional evidence came in, charges were upgraded in September. Taylor was located at a hotel in Toms River and arrested without incident. He has been held at the Ocean County Jail since.
Authorities emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
——
Key Points
- Martine Taylor Jr. indicted after crash that killed his passenger following a 189-foot airborne vehicle launch
- Taylor’s BAC was .182 and he was driving up to 98 mph with a suspended license
- Crash occurred in Lakewood around 1:35 a.m. on May 13; victim Christine Kroliczak was pronounced dead at the scene