By Charles W. Kim, Packet Group
SOUTH BRUNSWICK – A birthday celebration went horribly wrong early Saturday morning leading to the death of one man and aggravated manslaughter charges for a friend driving him home, according to police.
According to police, Rohit Maddineni, 25, of Plainsboro was out celebrating the birthday of Pavan Gottumukkala, 25, of Edison and an unidentified 25-year-old female.
While returning home to Plainsboro on Dey Road at about 3:40 a.m. Saturday, Mr. Maddineni lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a utility pole near 215 Dey Road, police said.
The vehicle overturned and ejected Mr. Gottumukkala from the rear passenger seat out of the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Mr. Maddineni and the unidentified female passenger were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center in New Brunswick where they were treated for minor injuries, according to police.
An investigation into the crash by Officer Gene Rickle and Middlesex County Prosecutor’s office Investigator Crocco determined that Mr. Maddineni had been drinking prior to the crash.
Mr. Maddineni was charged later Saturday with aggravated manslaughter and jailed at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick in lieu of $300,000 bail with no 10 percent option, according to police.
The crash and investigation closed Dey Road for more than four hours, according to police.
Anyone with information is asked to call Investigator Crocco of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-4471, or Officer Rickle of the South Brunswick Poice Department at 732-329-4000, exension 7459.
