Driver In Howell Crash That Killed Child Was On Drugs: Prosecutor

FREEHOLD, NJ – A Howell woman has been charged with aggravated manslaughter in a car crash in January that killed a three-year-old girl and injured others, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Friday.

Samantha E. Bonora, 31, was charged with one count of first-degree aggravated manslaughter and two counts of second-degree aggravated assault in the three-vehicle Howell accident on Route 34.

An investigation showed that Bonora was under the influence of "multiple narcotic substances" at the time of her collision with a Jeep Cherokee, the prosecutor's office said, and she has been charged with driving under the influence, as well as multiple motor vehicle summonses.

Authorities said she left her side side of the road and hit the Jeep bearing a mother, her sister and her two children.

On Saturday, Jan. 13, at about 4:41 p.m., the Howell Police Department was notified of a multiple-car collision on Highway 34 near the Colts Neck border.

The investigation showed that Bonora was operating a Dodge Ram pickup truck southbound on Route 34 in Howell when she travelled into the northbound lane into oncoming traffic. Her truck collided head-on with the oncoming Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Members of the Williams family of Howell were in the Cherokee, a GoFundMe site for the family said.

Kyle Williams was not in the car, but his wife Joelle and their children, Kylie, 3, and Lucas, 2, as well as Joelle's sister were passengers. Kylie died of her injuries at the scene, authorities said.

Joelle is facing a long recovery, the site said, and she recently wrote about the family in a post on the site. The site is still accepting donations to help with her recovery. Both Joelle and Kyle Williams are teachers. He is also a top youth swimming coach and it was a rare day he was away at a meet, she said on the site. The prosecutor's office said Lucas, 2, also was injured.

The collision with the Williams' Jeep caused Bonora’s truck to come to a stop in the northbound lane, where it was then struck by a Ford Bronco via a rear-end collision.

Bonora, as well as the female passenger of the Jeep (Joelle Williams' sister) and the female driver of the Ford Bronco, sustained minor injuries, the prosecutor's office said.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Bonora was under the influence of multiple narcotic substances at the time of the collision.

Bonora was arrested without incident and transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold where she is currently being held pending her first appearance at the Monmouth County Superior Court.

Anyone with information about this matter is urged to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Agent Reginald Grant at 800-533-7443 or Howell Township Police Officer Daniel Scherbinski at 732-928-4575, Ext. 2663.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Caitlin J. Sidley of the Major Crimes Bureau. Information about Bonora’s legal representation was not immediately available.