Mays Landing man was sentenced today to 32 years in prison in connection with a 2011 fatal three-car collision that left a 9-year-old Hammonton boy dead, and a father and son seriously injured, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced.
On April 10, 2011, at 12:58 p.m., the Hamilton Township Police responded to Cologne Avenue, Mays Landing, for reported a three-car motor vehicle collision. The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Collision Unit also responded.
Investigation determined that William Liepe, now 62, of Mays Landing, was operating a motor vehicle south on Cologne Avenue when he rear-ended a vehicle driven by Max Guzman, 35, of Hammonton, while Guzman, with two child passengers in the car, was attempting to make a left-hand turn off Cologne Avenue to the athletic fields located behind the fire department.
The impact from Liepe’s vehicle caused Guzman’s car to enter the northbound lane and get struck by a third vehicle, a sport utility vehicle driven by Rosa Vazquez, 38, of Egg Harbor Township, with her mother and two child passengers in the vehicle.
Guzman and his 11-year-old son of the same name, who was the front-seat passenger, were transported to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center—City Campus, Atlantic City, for treatment of injuries received in the crash.
Guzman’s rear-seat passenger, nine-year-old Ryan Schleyer, of Hammonton, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Rosa Vazquez and her three passengers: 15-year-old daughter, 2-year-old son, and her mother were transported to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center—Mainland Campus, for evaluation and treatment. The driver and children were found to be uninjured and were released; the driver’s mother, also named Rosa Vasquez, 71, of Pleasantville, was admitted to the hospital with a shoulder injury.
Liepe was transported AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center—Mainland Campus, then transferred to the City Division Trauma Unit in Atlantic City for treatment of injuries, from which he was later released.
This morning, William Liepe received an aggregate sentence from Judge Garofolo of 32 years of incarceration in New Jersey Prison.
Pursuant to the No Early Release Act (NERA), Liepe must serve 85% of the sentence—or 27 years, 2 months, and 12 days—before becoming eligible for parole.
Judge Garofolo further ordered that Liepe’s New Jersey driver’s license be suspended for life.