Monmouth County Woman Killed In Alleged Drunk Driving Crash; New Charges Filed

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River man is charged with aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide for a May alleged drunk driving crash that killed a Matawan woman, said the Ocean County Prosecutor.

The crash occurred May 13 crash on Cedar Bridge Road in Lakewood, and it killed Christine Kroliczak, 52, of Matawan, Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said.

The man charged is Martine Taylor Jr., 56.

Kroliczak, who up until now her identity had not been released, was a passenger in Taylor's 2015 Nissan Altima that wound up on its roof in a drainage ditch along Cedar Bridge Road after going airborne for 189 feet, the prosecutor's office said.

The new charges were filed Thursday. The new charges are because Taylor's blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit and he was speeding at more than 94 miles per hour at the time of the crash, authorities said.

Investigators said Taylor was driving the Altima west on Cedar Bridge Avenue but crossed the double yellow line into the eastbound lanes, left the road and went airborne, clearing the guardrail and traveling an estimated 189 feet through the air and hitting a utility pole in the process.

The car briefly hit the ground before becoming airborne a second time, and then hit a tree before coming to rest on its roof in the drainage ditch, authorities said.

Kroliczak was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Taylor was extricated from the car and taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment. His blood was drawn and lab results showed Taylor's blood alcohol concentration was .182, more than double the .08 level at which New Jersey drivers are considered intoxicated for legal purposes, authorities said.

In addition, investigators determined Taylor was speeding, driving between 94 and 98 mph at the time of the crash, authorities said. The speed limit on Cedar Bridge Road is 50 mph.

Taylor's license was suspended at the time of the crash.