TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Lakehurst man has been indicted on a charge of vehicular homicide in connection with a fatal crash that killed a construction worker in July.
Douglas Smith, 51, was indicted by an Ocean County Grand Jury on Dec. 18, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced.
The indictment stems from a crash that occurred on July 31 on Lakewood Road that resulted in the death of Allen Adams, 50, of Lumberton Township.
Additionally, the Grand Jury indicted Tammie Malek, 46, and Amy Thorn, 56, both of Toms River, on charges of hindering the apprehension of another in connection with the same incident.
Officers from the Toms River Township Police Department responded to the area of Lakewood Road and Raymond Avenue at approximately 1 a.m. on July 31 for a report of a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian.
Responding officers discovered Adams lying in the roadway with serious injuries.
Adams was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River where he was pronounced deceased.
An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad and Toms River Township Police Department revealed that Adams was working in a construction zone on Lakewood Road with machinery equipped with flashing amber warning lights when he was struck by a vehicle operated by Smith traveling northbound on Lakewood Road.
Officers located the vehicle on Lakewood Road just north of where the crash occurred.
As officers engaged Smith, he showed signs of impairment.
Smith was initially charged with driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.
Smith was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where a draw of his blood was obtained pursuant to a court-authorized warrant.
Laboratory results revealed that Smith’s blood alcohol concentration was .151 at the time his blood was drawn.
In New Jersey, an operator of a motor vehicle is presumed to be over the legal limit for purposes of alcohol consumption where the operator’s blood alcohol concentration is .08 or greater.
Additionally, Smith was found to have cocaine, fentanyl and methadone in his system.
On Aug. 28, Smith was charged with vehicular homicide, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On Sept. 3, Smith was located at a residence in Toms River by officers from the United States Marshal’s Service Fugitive Task Force, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, and Toms River Township Police Department.
Smith was taken into custody without incident.
He was transported to the Ocean County Jail where he will remain detained until trial.
During the course of the investigation, detectives learned that Malek and Thorn provided false information to law enforcement regarding Smith’s whereabouts.
On Sept. 3, both Malek and Thorn were charged with hindering the apprehension of another.
Both were taken into custody at their residence in Toms River and transported to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
