Ashley Beams (Photo: Ocean County Jail)
An Ocean County grand jury handed up an indictment this week against a Toms River woman who is accused of causing a fatal crash while her blood-alcohol content was alleged to be about four times the legal limit.
The driver of the vehicle involved in the Feb. 8, 2022 accident, Ashley Beams, 32, of Toms River,was indicted on charges of vehicular homicide and strict liability vehicular homicide stemming from the crash that resulted in the death of James Cruz, 62, of the Parlin section of Old Bridge Township. Cruz was retrieving a package from the trunk of his car at the time he was hit.
The fatal accident occurred about 10:30 p.m. the night of Feb. 8, 2022 according to a statement from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. Toms River police officers responded to Bay Avenue for a report of a motor vehicle crash and determined that Cruz had been struck by the vehicle operated by Beams, the statement said. She is accused of having been driving with a blood alcohol level of .32, four times New Jersey’s legal limit of .08.
An investigation by the local and county officers revealed that Beams had been traveling eastbound on Bay Avenue approaching the cross street of Twin Oaks Drive. Shortly after passing Twin Oaks Drive, Beams “failed to maintain her lane of travel and entered the shoulder – striking Mr. Cruz, who at the time was retrieving a package from the trunk of his vehicle,” the statement said.
As a result of the collision, Cruz was pinned between the two vehicles and “carried a significant distance” eastbound on Bay Avenue. He was subsequently pronounced deceased at the scene, according to officials.
Beams was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, for treatment of the injuries she sustained in the crash. The initial draw of her blood at the hospital revealed that Beams had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .32 percent, according to prosecutors. Beams was arrested at her home on Feb. 16, 2022, by detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit.
Beams was ultimately released from the Ocean County Jail pending trial under New Jersey’s bail reform policies.
