Toms River man charged with aggravated manslaughter in fatal 94 mph crash
Toms River, NJ – A man whose blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit is facing aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges after allegedly causing a high-speed crash that killed a 52-year-old woman in Lakewood Township this past May.
Martine Taylor Jr., 56, was taken into custody Wednesday at a hotel in Toms River and booked into the Ocean County Jail. Prosecutors say Taylor was driving a 2015 Nissan Altima at speeds approaching 98 miles per hour — with a blood alcohol content of .182 — when he lost control of the vehicle, launching it into the air, slamming into a utility pole and a tree, and landing upside down in a drainage ditch off Cedar Bridge Avenue.
The crash occurred around 1:35 a.m. on May 13, after a tractor trailer driver called police to report hitting overhead utility wires in the area. Responding officers soon discovered the overturned Altima and found Taylor trapped inside, seriously injured but alive. His passenger, identified as Christine Kroliczak of Matawan, was unresponsive and later pronounced dead at the scene despite emergency efforts.
An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit – Vehicular Homicide Squad, Lakewood Township Police, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office revealed the Altima had crossed the center line and traveled an estimated 189 feet through the air, with no signs of braking. Investigators said Taylor’s license was suspended at the time of the crash.
Taylor was initially charged with causing death while driving with a suspended license and released pending further proceedings under New Jersey Bail Reform. However, after lab results confirmed his high BAC and excessive speed, the charges were upgraded to include aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide.
Prosecutors say Taylor used no brakes and reached nearly double the speed limit on the 50-mph stretch of Cedar Bridge Avenue before the vehicle went airborne, struck a pole, and flipped.
He remains in custody awaiting a detention hearing.
Key Points
- Martine Taylor Jr. was charged with aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide in a deadly crash that killed Christine Kroliczak
- Taylor’s BAC was .182, and he was driving nearly 100 mph with a suspended license
- The crash launched his car over 180 feet, killing his passenger and causing severe vehicle damage
