By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
MONROE — Police are still investigating a two-vehicle accident that allegedly involved a drunken driver and proved fatal for one Old Bridge teen Monday evening on Spotswood-Englishtown Road.
The incident occurred around 8:46 p.m. as a 17-year-old Monroe resident backed a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta out of a residential driveway. The car was struck in the rear by a 1989 Dodge Dakota, believed to be driven by William Bebert, 42, of Monroe, that was headed south on Spotswood Englishtown, said Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor Nicholas Switch.
Jackie Gavares, 15, who was sitting in the rear seat of the Jetta, was one of four passengers who were minors. She was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where she was pronounced dead at 4:15 a.m., Mr. Sewitch said.
Authorities said that Mr. Bebert, while intoxicated, hit the vehicle in the rear and ran away, eventually returning to his Matchaponix Road residence, Mr. Sewitch said.
Police discovered Mr. Bebert at the home around 11:40 p.m. and transported him to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital for minor injuries he sustained during the accident, he said.
Authorities issued Mr. Bebert summonses for driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident and later charged him with leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle collision, a charge that can carry a penalty of five to 10 years of incarceration, Mr. Sewitch said.
Although another rear seat passenger in the Jetta was transported to Helene Fuld Medical Center in Trenton and later transferred to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for serious injuries, the remaining passengers were all treated for minor injuries at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, he said.
All the teens, with the exception of Jackie were from Monroe, Mr. Sewitch said.
The driver of the Jetta could face charges or a summons as well, as he was underage and in violation of his provisional driver’s license, which prohibits a driver from transporting more than one person if they do not live together.
Authorities from the Middlesex County prosecutor’s Fatal Crash Investigation Unit and Monroe police are still investigating the accident and are asking anyone with information to contact Investigator Sean O’Lone at 732-745-3315 or Monroe Patrolman Jabazz Spence at 732-261-4313.