Crime & Safety
Drunk, Speeding Driver Pleads Guilty In NJ Crash That Killed Boy, 8
Edward Johnston was intoxicated and driving 107 mph when he struck a parked car and killed a sleeping young boy, authorities said.
ABSECON, NJ — The Egg Harbor City driver who authorities say was drunk and speeding in a crash that killed an 8-year-old boy asleep in a parked car pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter.
Authorities allege that Edward Johnston, 25, was intoxicated and driving about 107 mph on White Horse Pike in Absecon when he veered off the road and crashed into a parked car on July 23, 2023.
The crash killed 8-year-old Javier Velez, a Philadelphia boy, who was asleep in the car while his father and brother were fishing just outside the vehicle, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.
Find out what's happening in Gallowayfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Johnston will be sentenced on May 13, where he faces 15 years in prison subject to the No Early Release Act, meaning he will have to serve 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
