Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced today that a Long Branch police officer was sentenced today to serve 364 days in a county jail and 5 years of probation for striking and killing a pedestrian on September 22, 2017.
According to authorities, Jake Pascucci, 28, of Long Branch was sentenced to 364 days in a county jail as a condition of the 5-years of probation he will serve upon his release. He also was sentenced to 30 days for driving while intoxicated which is to run concurrent to the county jail time.
In addition, Pascucci will forfeit his current public employment with the Long Branch Police Department. He will also lose his driving privilege for three months.
The sentence was imposed by Superior Court Judge Michael A. Toto in accordance with a plea agreement reached with Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Keith Abrams. The Judge allowed Pascucci to remain free pending the filing of a notice of appeal.
Officials say Pascucci was sentenced today after he pleaded guilty on April 3, 2018 to strict liability vehicular homicide in the third degree and driving while intoxicated in the death of Karen Borkowski, 66 of Stanhope.
The Long Branch officer was charged after an investigation by Detective Donald Heck of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation determined that the pedestrian was struck and killed by a car driven by the off-duty police officer as she attempted to cross Ocean Boulevard. Karen Borkowski was pronounced dead at the scene following the crash.