Toms River teen was drunk in crash that killed Brick Teen: prosecutor

TOMS RIVER, NJ — An 18-year-old from Toms River has been charged with vehicular homicide in connection with a Manchester crash that killed a Brick Township teenager in April, the County Prosecutor's Office announced Tuesday. 'Ocean.

Kailyn Gorga, 18, went to Manchester Township Police Headquarters Friday, accompanied by her attorney, to face charges of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault in the crash that killed Catalina Reinoso, 18 of Brick, prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Subscribe

Gorga was drunk and under the influence of marijuana at the time of the April 14 crash, Billhimer said.

Manchester police were called to the scene of the accident on Lacey Road in the Whiting neighborhood shortly before 3 a.m. on April 14 and found that a 2008 Mazda 3 had struck a central reservation on the road and had overturned, the prosecutor's office said.

Photos posted on social media at the time of the crash showed the car smashed the sign in front of the Manchester Township EMS building.

Reinoso and John Winkowski, 19, of Brick, were among the car's five passengers; they were in the back seat and both were injured, Billhimer said.

Reinoso was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment, but was declared brain dead on April 20 and her organs were donated to save the lives of nine people, a declared his family. Learn more: Brick Teen Dies From Injuries Suffered in Manchester Crash, Family Says

Winkowski was also taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center and was later released from the hospital, the prosecutor's office said. Gorga and the three other passengers were treated at Jersey Shore University Medical Center for minor injuries and released, they said.

Gorga's blood was drawn pursuant to a court-authorized warrant after the crash, Billhimer said, and lab results showed his blood alcohol content (BAC) was 0.099 percent; a driver is presumed to be over the legal limit with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or more.

Lab results also showed Gorga had an active THC (marijuana) level of 4 nanograms (ng) with a THC metabolite level of 47 ng, the prosecutor's office said.

Gorga is being held at the Ocean County Jail awaiting a detention hearing.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit – Auto Homicide Squad, the Manchester Township Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit collaborated in the investigation.