By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Ocean County announced that on March 8, the Honorable Kimarie Rahill, J.S.C., sentenced William Andujar, 52, of Whiting, to four years in New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) as a result of his previously entered guilty plea to Aggravated Assault in connection with an incident that occurred in Berkeley Township on November 2, 2020.
The sentence is subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act (NERA), meaning that Andujar will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before he may be considered for parole eligibility, officials say.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said that Judge Rahill imposed a consecutive sentence of one year to the NJSP relative to a violation of probation.
Andujar pled guilty to both charges before Judge Rahill on December 18, 2023, officials stated.
According to officials, on November 2, 2020, at approximately 7:00 pm., Berkeley Township Police responded to a report of a crash involving two motor vehicles in the area of West Pinewald Keswick Road.
Officials say an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad and Berkeley Township Police Department revealed that Andujar, who was traveling westbound in a 2010 Honda CRV, crashed into a 2003 Hyundai Elantra operated by Susan Ewing, 44, of South Toms River, from behind.
The impact forced both vehicles off the roadway into a wooded area, officials said.
Authorities say the victim, Ms. Ewing, sustained serious bodily injuries as a consequence of Andujar crashing into her vehicle.
Ms. Ewing was flown to Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune for treatment of those injuries, was subsequently discharged, and is still recovering from those injuries, officials say.
According to officials, Andujar was likewise transported to Jersey Shore Medical Center following the crash, and a search warrant was obtained for a draw of his blood.
Officials stated that laboratory results from the blood draw - received by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office on November 23, 2020 - indicated that Andujar had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .18 percent at the time his blood was drawn.
In the State of New Jersey, an operator of a motor vehicle is presumed to be over the legal limit for purposes of alcohol consumption where their BAC is .08 or greater, officials say.
The laboratory results also revealed a significant quantity of methadone in Andujar’s system, authorities say.
Officials stated on November 24, 2020, Andujar was arrested by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad and South Toms River Police Department and charged with Assault by Automobile.
The additional charge of Aggravated Assault was filed on December 8, 2020, as a result of further developments in the investigation, accoridng to officials.
Andujar has been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since his arrest on November 24, 2020, officials said.