Executive Summary
- Martine Taylor Jr., 56, indicted on charges of aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide.
- The charges stem from a high-speed crash in Lakewood that killed a passenger.
- Prosecutors allege the vehicle traveled airborne for nearly 200 feet before impact.
- Taylor also faces charges for causing death while driving with a suspended license.
LAKEWOOD — A grand jury in Ocean County has indicted a Toms River man on charges including aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide following a high-speed crash that resulted in the death of a passenger, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Martine Taylor Jr., 56, was formally indicted on Thursday, December 18. The charges stem from a single-vehicle incident that occurred last spring in Lakewood.
According to the statement released by the Prosecutor’s Office, the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when it lost control and launched nearly 200 feet through the air. Authorities confirmed that the severity of the impact resulted in fatal injuries to the passenger inside the vehicle.
In addition to the manslaughter and vehicular homicide counts, the grand jury indicted Taylor on a charge of causing death while driving with a suspended driver’s license, prosecutors stated.
Legal Ramifications
This indictment transitions the case from the investigative stage to the prosecutorial phase within the Superior Court of New Jersey. The inclusion of aggravated manslaughter charges indicates that prosecutors believe there is evidence of extreme indifference to human life, a standard higher than simple negligence. As the case proceeds to arraignment, the defense will have the opportunity to respond to the allegations. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
