Guilty Plea in Vehicular Homicide Case
Toms River, NJ – On Monday (6/16) defendant Deborah L. Tadych, 61, of Brick Township pled guilty before the Honorable Francis R. Hodgson, J.S.C. to one (1) count of Second Degree Vehicular Homicide. Tadych also entered a plea of guilty to Driving while Intoxicated.
The charges stem from a motor vehicle collision which occurred on December 18, 2012 in Brick Township. On that date, at approximately 6:37 pm, the Brick Township Police Department responded to reports of a serious motor collision involving two vehicles on Herbertsville Road near the intersection of Sawmill Road. According to witnesses at the scene a 2008 Hyundai Sonata, driven by Deborah L. Tadych, was travelling southbound in the northbound lane of Herbertsville Road without headlights. Two vehicles observed the vehicle coming directly at them and were able to avoid impact by pulling to the side of the road. Tragically, a 1997 Grand Marquis driven by Susan Steeper, 65, also of Brick, was not able to avoid a head-on impact. Ms. Steeper was extricated from her vehicle and transported to Jersey Shore Medical Center where she succumbed to her injuries shortly thereafter. Officers at the scene noted an odor of alcohol about Ms. Tadych. Subsequent testing revealed that her blood alcohol level was more than double the legal limit. Further investigation revealed that just prior to this collision, Tadych had been involved in a hit and run incident by striking a parked vehicle when pulling out of her driveway just minutes away from the crash scene.
This matter was investigated by the Brick Police Department Traffic Safety Unit, specifically Patrolman Dierking and Patrolman Lampiasi, Detective Eric Skieczius of the Criminalistics Unit of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department and Detective Craig Ally of the Vehicular Homicide Unit of the Ocean County Prosecutors Office. Victim witness Advocacy Coordinator Carol Froberg provided assistance throughout the prosecution. The matter was prosecuted by Executive Assistant Prosecutor Deborah Hanlon-Schron.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, the State will seek an eight (8) year prison term. This term is subject to the No Early Release Act, wherein the defendant will be required to serve 85% of her sentence before becoming eligible for parole. The defendant will also be subject to a three (3) year period of parole supervision upon her release. Sentencing is presently scheduled for August 29, 2014. Tadych has been has been continuously incarcerated since January 3, 2013, unable to post bail of $50,000 no 10% option.
Deborah L. Tadych
Photo courtesy the Ocean County Jail