Toms River Woman Receives State Prison Sentence for Fatal Vehicular Incident
TOMS RIVER, NJ (OCEAN) – In a recent development, Ashley Beams, a 32-year-old resident of Toms River Township, has been sentenced to five years in New Jersey State Prison for Vehicular Homicide. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, P.J.Cr.P., in connection with a motor vehicle crash that took place in Toms River on February 8, 2022. The crash resulted in the tragic death of James Cruz, a 62-year-old resident of the Parlin section of Old Bridge Township.
The sentence imposed on Beams will be subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act, which means that she must serve at least 85 percent of her prison sentence before she becomes eligible for parole. Beams had previously pled guilty to the charge of Vehicular Homicide on July 24, 2023, before Judge Ryan. Additionally, on September 15, 2023, she also pled guilty to the motor vehicle offense of Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol, leading to the suspension of her driving privileges for one year.
The incident occurred on February 8, 2022, at around 10:30 p.m., when officers from the Toms River Township Police Department responded to a report of a motor vehicle crash on Bay Avenue. Upon arrival, it was determined that Beams had struck James Cruz with her vehicle. The subsequent investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, Toms River Township Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit revealed that Beams had failed to maintain her lane of travel after passing Twin Oaks Drive. This resulted in her vehicle colliding with Mr. Cruz, who was retrieving a package from the trunk of his car. The impact pinned Mr. Cruz between the two vehicles and caused him to be carried a significant distance on Bay Avenue, leading to his unfortunate death at the scene.
Following the crash, Beams was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment of her injuries. Blood samples taken from her at the hospital, as part of the investigation, showed that her Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) at the time of the collision was substantially higher than the legal limit of .08 in the State of New Jersey. On February 16, 2022, Beams was arrested by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit at her residence. She was subsequently released due to the New Jersey Bail Reform.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer expressed his appreciation for the diligent efforts of Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Robert Cassidy and Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Jamie Schron, who handled the case on behalf of the State. He also commended the collaborative work of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Victim Witness Advocacy Unit, Toms River Township Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit in conducting the investigation, leading to Beams’ guilty pleas and her subsequent state prison sentence.
In other news, the Department of Justice has settled a lawsuit against Jackson Township for discriminatory ordinances targeting Orthodox Jewish religious schools. The details of the settlement were not immediately available.
