Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said that a Piscataway man has pleaded guilty today in causing the death of a 59-year old man from Wayne and injuring another while driving while intoxicated.
According to authorities, Darius Griffin Jr., 25, of Piscataway pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular homicide in the second degree, one count of assault by auto in the fourth degree, and driving while intoxicated which caused the fatal crash on October 14, 2017.
Officials said under a plea agreement reached with Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Keith Abrams, Griffin will be sentenced to a prison term of 8 years for causing the crash that killed Steven Kemmlein and injured the passenger in Griffin’s car. This term is subject to the No Early Release Act. As such, the defendant will have to serve 85 percent of his prison term before becoming eligible for parole.
Griffin is scheduled to be sentenced in New Brunswick by Superior Court Judge Michael Toto on October 4, 2018.
The defendant was arrested and charged following an investigation by Sgt. Constance Crea of the Piscataway Police Department and Detective Donald Heck of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation determined that Griffin while driving on River Road crossed into oncoming traffic and crashed his 2016 Nissan Altima into Kimmlein’s vehicle, a 1999 Ford Ranger Pick-up. The driver of the pick-up died because of the injuries sustained in the crash.
According to authorities, the passenger in Griffin’s car was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center in New Brunswick and was treated for injuries. Griffin was also taken to the hospital following the crash.
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