Six year sentence for man involved in fatal drunk driving crash
READINGTON — A Connecticut man will spend six years in prison for his role in a crash that killed a South Bound Brook man last year.
The crash happened on Dec. 26, 2017 when a car driven by Joe A. Helms, 58, of Willimantic, Ct. was involved in a crash with Wilson A Sumbana, 57, of South Bound Brook, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns said. Holmes was arrested following the crash and charged with reckless driving and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
Kearns said Holmes was "struggling with issues in his life and sought to handle them in the wrong way, leading to this tragic consequence."
He pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree vehicular homicide and was sentenced to six years in state prison on Friday. Helms will also be subject to three years of parole, and will have his license suspended for 10 years after his release.
"Despite Mr. Holmes being sentenced to six years in state prison we recognize that no amount of time the defendant serves will diminish the grief and emotional pain suffered by Mr. Sumbana's family and friends," Kearns said.