
Prosecutor: Drunk Howell man was speeding in Route 9 crash that killed NJ woman
A 59-year-old Howell man has been accused of speeding and driving drunk in a luxury SUV at the time of a Marlboro crash that killed a 22-year-old Middlesex County woman nearly a year ago.
Walter Decanio has now been charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter while driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as second-degree vehicular homicide for his role in the deadly crash on Feb. 13, 2022.
Around 2:30 a.m., police officers from both Marlboro and Old Bridge responded to the crash at the intersection of Route 9 and County Route 520/Newman Springs Road.
Investigators have found that Decanio was headed southbound at nearly 80 miles an hour in his 2019 Cadillac XT5, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago — and blew through the intersection as the other driver was headed west on Route 520 in a 2018 Nissan Altima.
The female victim, from Monroe, was pronounced dead shortly after, while Decanio was uninjured, Santiago said.
Decanio was also issued summonses for failure to observe a traffic control device, failure to wear a seat belt, speeding, reckless driving and operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
He turned himself over last week to authorities, pending a first appearance in Monmouth County Superior Court.
Anyone with information about the case has been asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Brian Boryszewski at 800-533-7443 or Marlboro Police Department Corporal David Ruditsky at 732-536-0100.
Deadly Route 9 crash near Freehold mall, killed parents and son
Months later and a bit further south, three family members were killed in a different SUV crash on Route 9 in Freehold.
The parents and adult son from Marlboro suffered fatal injuries when the Honda CR-V they were in was rear-ended by a Lexus SUV near Route 33, according to the prosecutor's office.
That case remained under investigation, as of January.
Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com
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